


A Rebel Returns

by DarthLumpy



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-10-17 19:54:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 50,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10601079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthLumpy/pseuds/DarthLumpy
Summary: Ahsoka Tano comes out of hiding, returns to the rebellion and meets someone she doesn't expect.





	1. A Hero Returns

These characters and places belong to Lucasfilms and Disney. I'm just playing with the toys.

The cantina was dark, and she preferred it that way. Ahsoka sat in an even darker corner, covered by a hood over her head which covered her montrals, head tails and hid her face. Not that few would even recognize her by sight, as she was probably presumed dead at this point. It still wasn't worth the risk, and those few she had been in contact recently which honestly wasn't many, may have already exposed the possibility she had been alive. She had been in hiding too long, and it had been a great difficulty to even get this meeting. Afraid to expose herself and the efforts of a rebellion that she had been working with prior since it's dawn many years ago and then to come out of hiding, after her personal and important struggles and trying to reconnect to the alliance, was risky for both her and them. She wasn't sure she could even trust this person. It had taken some months, and some interesting channels to get to this point, many of the old channels were long gone, and the bases and cells she had known about had been moved, or relocated, destroyed, or she had no way to contact them, not knowing any of the new codes or password and phrases. Many of her old associates were dead or lost. She knew though, during her time at Malachor, that at least one of her old Jedi masters was still out there, somewhere. She felt him trying to contact her. She felt something else as well, but what that was, she wasn't sure, he being in hiding as well. He came to her in visions sometimes, but she could feel he wasn't dead, not yet, anyway. He was never blatantly descriptive, he never was really when she knew him, his way of talking was seen as odd, but he was very wise, and made you think. He was frail though, and holding on for some reason, some reason important. For what, she did not know. She wasn't sure he really needed her, just that maybe she could be of some help in some way. Reaching out to her as if it was a last resort. Obi-Wan had contacted her as well, but she could tell that he was now part of the living Force. It was strange though that he could personally contact her, but it was fleeting and a small connection. She didn't understand how that was even possible, as she had learned from childhood that all Jedi join the living Force and they become one. Her biggest fear was that HE would find her again, her former master, or more of what he had become, the monster that was a mere shadow of the kind man she once knew. She knew she could not destroy him, she had tried that and failed before, and almost lost her own life doing that. The time at Malachor had been insightful, however, she faced many of her own fears and learned a great deal about herself.

When she first got out of hiding, she sought to find Bail Organa, but was distressed to find that he had perished in the destruction of Alderaan, along with many of it's citizens. There were rumors that his daughter had survived, after being taken captive by the Empire, though there were those who had said that she too had died. She wondered if there was a way to get in contact with Princess Leia, who she had learned had become the face of the rebellion in the aftermath, and started going underground and observed individuals in underground places for possible contacts. It's possible as well that the Empire had resorted to similar tactics and also that bounties had been placed on the heads of many of those connected to the rebellion, that they may to be looking for a way in to get a hefty reward. She herself knew that trusting the Empire with getting a reward was futile unless they were sure you were actively working with them, so just anybody from the dregs of society bringing in a bounty to the Empire would have to do so with some credibility. Many of those that would be coming into this particular cantina had much to fear from the Empire by this point, so there was that on her side. She noticed a Twi'lek entering the room, fitting the description of the person she was meant to meet. She saw her suspiciously ignoring a person sitting at the bar, while that person gave them a sharp look. She assumed that this person was either her lookout, someone after her, or just interested. She wasn't that striking for a Twi'lek, she looked tough as nails and appeared as if she had seen and been through more than her share of scrapes in the past few years. She wandered around, then came to Ahsoka's table and flashed a hand signal. The hand signal was what her contact said she would do when she made contact. Ahsoka said "I've been better." What was agreed upon with their mutual contact.

The Twi'lek threw some credits on the table and said. "Come with me." and then led Ahsoka out to a location behind the cantina and down an alley way.

A speeder pulled up with a Duros driving, and the Twi'lek stranger motioned for Ahsoka to climb in and the Twi'lek followed. Immediately, they were being transported to a docking bay where they got out and they motioned her onto a ship. "Whoa, where are you taking me?" Ahsoka asked.

"I hope you didn't have somewhere else to go today." The Twi'lek replied. "or too much baggage left behind."

"Well, not really, but well, I think I have a right to know where I'm going!" Ahsoka said, now a bit alarmed. She thought she was just going to have a talk with this person, not leave planet.

"Trust me." And the Twi'lek flashed an emblem associated with the rebel alliance. "We have to move fast."

Ahsoka got on the ship, reluctantly, and trusting these strangers with her life. She reached into the Force, trying to get a sense of the mood of the two individuals and the situation, and she didn't feel too much in danger, no more than she had in any way most of her life. She would have to trust her instincts. She looked around the ship, it was basic, clean, and sparse. She had her lightsabers with her, and felt if she needed to, she could always take the ship, these two seemed no match for her, if need be, and tried to relax. She sat in the ship lounge area, but calling it a lounge area was a bit of a stretch, it was some bolted down crates with straps attached. In a short time, the Twi'lek came out to her and asked. "Are you really Ahsoka Tano?"

This startled her. She had never told anyone in her search her actual name, only that she had been an agent and had been in hiding. "How did you know?" She asked.

"It seems you have a friend looking out for you, Tano. And well, among us in intelligence for the alliance, you are a bit of a legend. It's a pleasure to meet you." The Twi'lek offered her hand.

Ahsoka lowered her hood and took her hand, and finally smiled. She had a good feeling about this. They went through hyperspace and little was said. It was a bit unnerving to not know where she was going, having been in control of her own actions for some time, but it brought to mind the time when she was fighting in the Clone Wars as a young teenager, not always knowing the destination. Even while she was fighting with the rebellion, it was usually she who was the one in the know, but right now, she was an outsider. Who knew where they were bringing her and to whom? They made a few jumps in various systems, and as they came out of hyperspace, Ahsoka joined the Duros and the Twi'lek, both of whom never told her their names (Was it a matter of security?) in the cockpit, and looked out to see a small fleet of various ships. She had been brought to the rebel fleet.

"Before you disembark, you may want to raise your hood again." The Twi'lek spoke.

"Thank you, I don't even know your name." Ahsoka replied.

"We like to keep it that way, we may meet again though. I'm afraid we are just dropping you off. Trust me, High Command will take good care of you. We are heading straight back out after we are done here, good luck! It's been an honor." The Twi'lek responded.

She walked down the ramp to the hanger, which had been deserted, save for a lone official and seemingly high ranking officer.

"Ahsoka Tano?" The official looking individual stated.

"Yes, and you would be?" Ahsoka asked, wondering how they knew so much about her.

"I'm General Airen Cracken, head of intelligence. My agents told me you were coming. This isn't usually how we do things, but we were sure it was actually you and brought you straight here once we were sure you were who you said you were. I'm to take you to Mon Mothma directly. It's still classified that you are here." Cracken replied.

General Cracken spoke into a comm and two men arrived as escorts to Ahsoka and the general. "Lady Tano, if you will follow me. It won't be a long walk."

The corridor to the large vessel was deserted and well lit. They came to a door, the general hit a few codes, and directed the escorts to wait outside. Ahsoka and the general entered the room, which appeared to be a large conference room. The only person inside was a red haired woman turned away from them, looking at a monitor of some type. "I will be with you in a moment." She spoke.

Ahsoka and the general stood there quietly. She looked around the room, it was very bright, yet white everywhere, and it felt a bit humid. After a moment or two, the general directed her to sit at a table, and he sat as well. The woman seemed engrossed in whatever she was staring at, as if it was of great importance and that she carried the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders. After some time, she turned around and said. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. You may not believe this, but I was overjoyed to hear from our operatives that you had resurfaced. It has been quite some time since I had seen you last. I trust your trip uneventful?" Mon Mothma asked.

"Senator Mothma?" Ahsoka queried.

"No longer a Senator, I'm afraid. Have you been out of the loop then for some time?"

"It's well, good to see you. Well, I heard the news of Alderaan and Senator Organa. When I resurfaced, I had hoped to reconnect with him. He had always been my contact, a fact by now that I am sure by now you are well aware." Ahsoka replied.

"Ah, yes, our original Fulcrum in the flesh. Senator Organa and I worked close together for many years, and it has brought us here to this moment. I understand you have been seeking us out? We will have a full debriefing on your disappearance at another time. I do understand your need to hide. General Cracken, if you will excuse us, I wish to speak with Ahsoka alone. I will have her escorted to your office shortly." Mon Mothma replied.

"Yes, certainly, Ma'am." and General Cracken departed.

After a few moments. Mon Mothma spoke. "As I said, I can understand the need to hide. I remember you from when I was a young senator. Always with General Kenobi and General Skywalker, I remember as well that you left the Jedi. It's very still dangerous for you, for a variety of reasons, and I am guessing not just because of your work with the rebellion or the fact you are a former Jedi. I don't know how long you have been out of the loop, as I have been told that you have been in deep hiding and only learned of the destruction of Alderaan recently, but were you aware of the Death Star?"

Ahsoka replied. "Only that it had been destroyed after blowing up Alderaan. After I heard about Senator Organa, I hoped to look for Princess Leia, that was what started to my ending up here."

"Yes, questions about the Princess often perk up the ears of our operatives. We like to keep up with bounty hunters searching for members of High Command and the like. I'm afraid that right now, Princess Leia, is well, unavailable at the moment." Mon Mothma replied. "Did you know her?"

"No, I never did meet her, I just became aware that she was an enemy of the Empire and seemed to be the face of the rebellion, that and her connection to her father, I thought that might be a way to find you here. Is she alive?" Ahsoka replied.

"Well, I have hopes that she is. And as for her being a way for us to find you in a way, it did. We did find you, after all. Do you know how the Death Star was blown up?" Mon Mothma asked.

"No, only that it was the rebellion that was responsible." Ahsoka replied.

"Indeed it was, there is more, but another time. Well, I recently became aware that the Empire is building another Death Star. Now, I know you as a former operative will know to keep this confidential between ourselves. I have yet to make this matter public among the entire fleet, as we have operatives and scouting teams on the move currently, and it's still on a need to know basis. I know you are aware of that kind of operation. And don't think because you haven't been a part of the rebellion that I am just sharing this with just anyone. Oh, I have had you watched and tested prior to your being brought here. Usually we have a vetting or a thorough process involved in recruiting new operatives and soldiers, but you aren't new, and as I have said, we have been watching you. I didn't want to cloud my own judgment on being very pleased to have found you again, Lady Tano." Mon Mothma said.

"I understand, Senator, I mean um, ma'am." Ahsoka replied with question.

"I apologize though, you have only just gotten here, and I must have overwhelmed you. Let's get you a room set up and we can talk more later. General Cracken will take care of everything. We are so very glad to have you here with us, Lady Tano." Mon Mothma said.

"I'm very glad to have found you all. I have been in hiding way too long." Ahsoka responded.

"Indeed, and with good reason. We will talk some more after you have rested and gotten more settled." Mon Mothma replied.

She walked her to the door, and motioned for the escorts to take her to Cracken's office. Ahsoka got the feeling that Mon Mothma wanted to say more, but stopped herself from continuing. It was true that Ahsoka had been hiding so deep that keeping up with events had put her at a disadvantage, and she wasn't sure what kind of help she could offer the Alliance. She had even only heard about Alderaan after she resurfaced, though she realized she had felt it when it had happened. When she would hide before, it was often with a different name and living a more anonymous life, but this time, it was alone and in meditation and deep in the outer rim alone, with little contact with the outside world. Shielding herself as much she could, until once in mediation that Obi-Wan had come to her. It was strange, and he came as an old man. She knew that somehow he had to have survived beyond order 66, but she didn't know how. It wasn't why he was in contact with her, in fact, she wasn't even sure about that. Only that she needed to rejoin the alliance, somehow she was needed or wanted. She didn't know why. She was unable to keep contact with him for very long, their connection was never as deep as the one she had with Anakin, and that she had learned to shield permanently, after she knew. How could her master have become that horrible thing? It made no sense to her. She felt after that, she could never show her face anywhere ever again, and once Malachor was free of her, she knew she would have to live in hiding, until Darth Vader had died, but that was before Obi-Wan came to her.

The escorts took her to General Cracken's office, and she took a seat as they departed. General Cracken gave her a good look over and said. "I have heard a great deal about you, Lady Tano, a great deal. Did you know Draven? I spent a good deal of my time before Yavin setting up spy networks and you came up quite a bit. It's really wonderful to finally meet you in the flesh."

"I hope I meet the expectations of my reputation, then." Ahsoka said with some reluctance.

"Actually, I am working on setting you up with quarters and getting you comfortable as we speak, but I do have a pressing assignment for you." Cracken replied.

"Already putting me to work then, General?" Ahsoka said with surprise.

"Oh, don't worry, it shouldn't be too dangerous, nor take too long. That is if you still have your lightsaber. I'm afraid our previous lightsaber wielder has been missing for a few weeks. See, we had a set back on a planet called Hoth. We still keep getting distress calls from ships who were lost, so there is hope, but I'm afraid his ship was one we did not get word from, either from a distress call, nor our search team after the battle." Cracken explained.

"Why, yes, I have two lightsabers. You had a 'lightsaber' wielder?" Ahsoka asked.

"We did. Come, I will show you what we need." Cracken replied.

As they walked down the corridor, she noticed it was incredibly empty save for the two escorts, and immensely quiet. Soon they came to a room, as he opened the door, she noticed that unlike the other rooms, this one was dark. In the center, was a large durasteel box.

"We have tried every macrospanner to try to open this thing. The thing is though, it has to be done delicately. There are high explosives inside. We were able to steal it from the Empire, but we have no way of opening it. We know there are some high tech weaponry inside, and we want to analyze them. The only thing is that the contents are at risk of explosion. Do you think you can handle this? We have had one opened before by, as I said, our commander who is missing, and he was able to break through by going along the edge and he said by 'feeling' what was inside, whatever that means." Cracken replied.

"He used the Force?" Ahsoka asked. "How old is this person?"

"I don't know. Luke is maybe, 22 or 23 I suppose, somewhere in that age range." Cracken said.

Ahsoka wondered who or what this Luke was. She looked around the box, walked around it, reached out to see if she could tell how tight the contents were, and pushed them carefully to one side, trying not to disturb them using the Force. She then took one of her blades, and eased it through gentle along the edge on the side where she had pushed the contents away, slowly and carefully, until it gave way and she then reached out and gently allowed it to land on the steel floor of the room.

"Wow, you did it, and it record time! I don't think Luke could have done that as precise as you could." Cracken said.

"Well, I have been using the Force for a very long time now, Sir." Ahsoka laughed.

"I will have some of my team check these items out. You did good work. Follow me." Cracken said.

Cracken closed the door and they returned back to his office. As they got there, an older man had been inside waiting.

"General Rieekan, I was not expecting you." Cracken replied with surprise.

"Ahsoka Tano?" General Rieekan asked.

"Yes?" Ahsoka said.

"I too fought in the Clone Wars, I remember you. I can't believe it." He offered his hand and laughed. "General Carlist Rieekan. You probably don't remember me. I remember you well though, I was just a soldier back in those days."

"Those were some heavy times." Ahsoka said.

"Indeed they were. You were quite something. Just barely a kid back then. Where did you find her, Airen?" General Rieekan said.

"Well, she sort of found us, and we brought her here, and right now, we are keeping it on a need to know basis, you must understand. It's ok, Lady Tano, Carlist is part of High Command, one of the team." General Cracken pointed out. "So, what brings you here, Carlist? It must be important."

"Well, I had a team searching in the Anoat system, for any lost or stray ships, and well, there was an odd signal echoing that was picked up. I was wondering if we could get a check on it?" Rieekan explained and handed him a data pad.

Cracken had a look. "It does seem to be one of our codes. Can't be too sure though. I will get it tracked, see what we can find out. I don't imagine the ship is there anymore though. We may be able to keep looking for the same code, though."

"You do know who uses that code, correct?" Rieekan said.

Cracken replied. "Of course I do, and we must not get our hopes up, but I hope it's good news. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I will get on it right away."

"Thank you, Airen. It is so wonderful to have you here with us, Commander Tano." Rieekan smiled and left.

Ahsoka was shown to quarters by Cracken's escorts and was surprised to find inside the few belongings that she had left behind waiting for her. How long had they been watching her and she didn't even know? Well, at least they seemed to be on her side, she laughed to herself.


	2. The Force that bonds.

Ahsoka surprised herself by allowing the rebellion to "capture" her. However, she felt it was on her terms this time, as it was she who sought them out and not the other way around. She allowed herself to be found, after all. The old Ahsoka would have infiltrated the facility secretly, but the rebel alliance had successfully been able to secure it's own secret location. Her past involvement may have had some influence on that, or she liked to think so. She was tired of hiding, and tired of running, and something made her feel as if it were time to jump back into it. Though her time away with reflection and meditation had it's purpose as well.

Mon Mothma had requested another meeting with Ahsoka, after she had time to rest and reflect on her new surroundings. She assumed the alliance needed her for a reason, and prepared mentally for whatever was going to be thrown at her. It had been a while since she had seen any action, so she wasn't sure exactly what was on the rebellion leader's mind. As she entered her office, there was another, High Command officer, Admiral Ackbar, who she immediately recognized.

"Ahsoka Tano, it has been quite a long time." Admiral Ackbar stood to greet the female Togruta woman.

"Captain Ackbar! From the battle of Mon Cala! I remember you quite well. It's wonderful to see you!" Ahsoka said with excitement.

"It's Admiral Ackbar now, Lady Tano. Admiral Ackbar is head of our rebellion fleet. Please sit down, we have a few things to discuss." Mon Mothma requested.

Ahsoka sat as did Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar. Mon Mothma passed a datapad to Ahsoka, and began to speak. "The rebellion has endured a great many losses recently, at Hoth, Sullust and elsewhere, and we wish to reach out to a rebel cell that has been fighting the Empire on it's own for quite some time. The time has come where we must collect as many allies as possible to fight the Empire. We have in the past, united a great many rebel cells, many of whom you yourself were our voice when they were more independent, so I believe this would be a good fit for you. You may have even dealt with this group before. A few years ago, we united many of the cells, but this group was one of the holdouts. We have reached out to them in the past. We are planning something big, and I believe that they could be of some use to us. I must warn you, this group is very dangerous, but with your skills and your past with being a communicator among the various cells, I believe you are the best person for the job. We do have someone close to them, but they may need a little assistance, and I believe you could be a great help to them. This group are basically what one would call pirates, but not in the traditional sense, they are indeed freedom fighters. They often travel in a fleet and have a home base on what we believe to be a moon in the Gelatia system." Mon Mothma said.

Admiral Ackbar spoke up. "We know they have ships with military capabilities, as well as a motivation to defeat the Empire. They have captured a couple of moons and a planet from the Empire before, though they probably were insignificant, and have established colonies on those places, successfully keeping the Empire out. They are not fond of outsiders. Since we are planning something big, we need those ships and we need them to be on our side. I believe you are someone that may be able to infiltrate their leader's ship, and negotiate a truce for us to work on a united front against tyranny. We will provide you with a ship, and General Cracken will give you the details."

"You do have the choice not to take the mission, but we plead with you, that it is of great importance. I believe with your special skills, you are our best hope to get aide from this group. Cag Suprine is their leader, and has been known to have those who try to meet with him shot on sight. I do believe though that you can get through to him with the help of our aide." Mon Mothma pleaded. "Have a look at the datapad, and when you meet with General Cracken, let him know what you think and if you are willing to take this on. I know what I am asking of you, and I want you to know that I wouldn't if the situation was not desperate."

Ahsoka took a look at the datapad, it did look like an undertaking, but nothing compared to some of her missions in the Clone Wars or after. She had taken on whole planets, and had even been one of those who helped Saw Gerrara in the early years. It's even possible that she may have crossed paths with some of this group in the past as well. She was out of practice, but with the Force as her guide, she had faith she could pull this off.

"Please, take time to go over the operation, and the information our spies have been able to document. Know what you are getting into. This is a very dangerous group, and honestly, we would not have considered reaching out to them in friendship if not for a great need." Admiral Ackbar said with concern.

Ahsoka took the pad to her quarters and went over them. Looks like they were wasting no time at all putting her talents to work.

General Cracken assigned her a small craft, one that had been given by a wealthy, anonymous patron and was quite easy to handle. She almost found it too nice, as she loved being able to tinker with her ships and this one really didn't require any adjustments. She still had to give it a once over anyway. Once she found lodging, a small room in one of the many theater districts in the city, she sat and studied the data and anything information she could gather that could be of great help. She had done her research, and decided to try to scout out the area before meeting her contacts, late at night, hoping that it would be quiet and she would be out of sight. Unfortunately, the city never seemed to sleep, and the nightlife here was quite active with plays running late, and late night parties and art shows. She wandered in one gallery and admired some of the works, noting one exhibit from Onderon, a planet she remembered well from her time in the Clone Wars and it reminded her of her old friend, Lux Bonteri. She wondered how he was. Last she had heard, he had become a senator, but from the briefings with Cracken and Mon Mothma, she knew the senate was no more. She had gotten some of the local cuisine, something that she didn't know what it was exactly, but the native Bardottan's seemed to enjoy, and admired the lights that could be seen from the palace. The Bardottans themselves were not very forth coming and cordial, and had a large history of war and violence, but also had a great love of arts and beauty and were a very unique people. They were wary of the Jedi back before the dark times, but had an understanding of the Force, and generally wary of anyone. Since the Empire had come into power, however, there had been an influx of humans and other aliens to the planet, and yet, much of the beautiful aspects of the culture remained. Her contact was to meet her in the city of Bardotta, at a cafe connected to a playhouse. She sat alone, ordered a caf and waited, wearing a decorative cape that was popular for the area to give her somewhat of a disguise.

Sometime later, her contact met her and directed her to a private box in the theater. The play was some mix of Rodian and Bardottan culture by a local Rodian who had lived on planet for many years, and had been developing quite the reputation for his holoplays on the holonet throughout the galaxy. Ahsoka was not personally impressed, as she was not up on the latest and greatest, or well, much of anything, but her hostess assured her that it would give them privacy as many had been there to be transfixed by the play, and they would be the only individuals in the private box. The young woman slipped her something in her hand and after some time, directed her down the stairs and out a stage door entrance. The contact was met by a Rodian connected to the play who recognized her and said. "Minra, how wonderful to see you here, I've been meeting to ask you if you would be willing to sponsor our next fundraising party? I'm thinking 10 rotations from now? Is your space available?" They asked in Huttese.

"Ceedan, darling. Let me check my calendar. Have Spinda check on it, will you luv? I'm afraid that I am being detained at the moment by something pressing, but get back to me will you? Oh and this play is spectacular! Simply divine! And I saw your interview last week." And she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Yes, we are having quite a success with our new series on the holonet. We really must get together soon." Ceedan replied in Huttese.

"Yes, we should darling? Arrange it with Spinda, ok? She has my calendar." Minra replied.

"By the way, who is your friend?" Ceedan asked.

"Ashla, my name is Ashla." Ahsoka replied still quite hooded.

Ceedan took her hand and kissed it in Huttese, he said. "It was lovely to meet you, Ashla."

"I'm afraid, darling that we really need to hurry along. Ashla and I have pressing business." Minra replied.

"Quite." Ceedan replied.

"Lovely fellow." Ahsoka replied.

They both went up to a private apartment accessed from behind the stage door by a elevator. When the doors opened, the decorative gold and red décor took Ahsoka's breath away. It had been a long time since she had seen anything so grand.

"I know that made you nervous with Ceedan, but he is the famous playwright. And don't worry, he does work for us, he just doesn't know who or what you are. I am guessing he will assume I am on business, and not the theater kind. You see, I own this theater. I shouldn't tell you this, but since you were sent by Cracken, many of his holonet series plays have coded messages in them for operatives." Minra explained, after they hopped across the carpet to the lush couch. "By the way, my name is Minra Bonteri, and I am quite honored to meet you in person."

"Bonteri? Like Lux Bonteri?" Ahsoka asked.

"Exactly like Lux Bonteri. He's my father you see. Once I became of age, he told me quite a bit about you." Minra replied.

"It's funny, but I was just at one of your galleries here and I thought of him. There was an Onderonian exhibit there, and I couldn't help but remember him." Ahsoka replied.

"I sponsored that exhibit. It was actually part of an intelligence ruse, and that was just one of the bonuses. You would be surprised how much the Empire loves art and how much information you can get from some of the higher ranking individuals using art as a way inside. As for my father, he's been privately funding some of the more radical rebel cells. He spoke often of the battles on Onderon, and of you, and of well, Steela, he never got over her, but he did find love again. He never left the fight truly, even if he played nice in the senate. I got to know Mon Mothma as a teenager, working with her in Coruscant, and eventually, found myself here and working for alliance intelligence. I'm going to use a few connections to get you an audience with Suprine, though I doubt he will work with us. He is getting stretched thin though on his own resources, so there is that. Plus, he and I go way back. Stick with me, I believe the both of us can at least make a dent. We have to try. What I am planning is going in alone, but not alone, see. I trust you are able to make yourself invisible, correct? If I recall, from the briefings I have on you, you are quite good at that?" Minra replied.

"I've certainly had my moments. Maybe not true invisibility, but not being seen, I can do that." Ahsoka said.

"So I have heard. Did you bring my ship?" Minra asked.

"Your ship?" Ahsoka said.

"Yes, I told General Cracken for you to come in my ship! I hope he hasn't lost it!"Minra said. "And that little thing I slipped you, it will keep us in contact with each other, the lights and buzzes will tell you when to meet me at the ship." Minra said. "Let me know your docking number, and I will let you know when it's time to depart. In the meantime, enjoy what the city has to offer."

It was a day or two before Minra contacted Ahsoka, and met her at the docking bay. Ahsoka and Minra took off for Cag Suprine's fleet, and Minra personally hailed the giant freighter, Suprine called home. Ahsoka was to unboard quietly after they landed in it's hanger after Minra gave her the signal. Ahsoka peered out of the cockpit, sitting in the dark, and trying not to be noticed.

"Minra, my love, how are you?" Suprine said as he walked up with a posse of various aliens carrying large weapons, many welded from scraps of ships in a mix mash of shapes and sizes. He was a tall, muscular man, not too good looking, but a very rugged face with a scared forehead.

He grabbed Minra and kissed her with a great passion.

"I so missed you, baby." Minra replied.

"Where have you been, I've been waiting for you!" Suprine replied.

"I had that play I had to stay for. I do need to get back, but I had to come see you. I really need to talk to you about something." Minra replied.

"Later, love, let's go catch up." Suprine replied.

It was some hours before Ahsoka heard a 'ping' in a communicator, indicating that she could leave Minra's ship. The small device also had a silent homing beacon in which to locate Minra's direction. Ahsoka slowly and quietly left the ship through an escape port at the bottom storage compartment of the ship, usually used to let out waste from the ships systems. Minra had suggested this as a way of leaving that would divert any attention in case there were any of Suprine's men waiting in the hanger. Minra had used this method herself on a mission or two, and had modified it to accommodate escape in dire circumstances. While Suprine himself was the head of an independent cell of insurgents against the Empire, he had no real love of the Alliance either. Minra's father had been a sponsor of Suprine's activities for years, and that was how they met. She explained that they had been lovers, but she herself had also been working intelligence in the Alliance for years, without Suprine and her father even knowing. She knew that Suprine would not be pleased and would believe that she had been spying on him all this time, using him for what information she could get from him, and part of that was indeed true, but the fact was that she truly cared for him. She didn't want to go to him for help alone, and that's where Ahsoka came in.

Ahsoka quietly jumped out of the ship, perched down a few minutes to get her bearings, and realized she was in the dark. Crouching perfectly still, she quietly made her way to the wall, looking for any surveillance devices. Minra said there were probably not any actually on his ship, as the outside was guarded and protected by other vessels in his fleet and that it would be nearly impossible to actually get on the ship, without his wanting you there, which is where Minra came in. He trusted Minra, and it took years to gain that trust. Ahsoka climbed a scaffolding, having memorized a diagram Minra had provided for her, and found a duct opening and climbed in. She was starting to feel as if she was getting too old for this, but she was still nimble, in spite her years, and still cunning. Reaching out with the Force, she made note of what her surroundings were, as she was now in complete darkness, and checking the homing beacon, she found herself above the location where Minra said they would be. Ahsoka pushed a button on the device, giving a prick to Minra's device, allowing her to know she was in place. Ahsoka could see through the venting system Suprine and Minra sitting together in an embrace, Minra's head on his shoulder. It was then that Minra spoke up.

"Suprine, darling, there is something that I must tell you. I don't think you will like it." Minra said.

"What could you ever tell me that I would not like, my love." He said.

Minra stood up, turned her back to him, "Please, hear me out."

"What is this about?" He pressed a button and made a motion to to men coming into the room.

"I have something to tell you." Minra said.

Suprine replied. "I know, love, I've always known. You've been spying on me."

Suprine grabbed her from behind and held her tight. "You don't think I never knew? Of course I knew! I had you watched! In fact, I know you know I had you watched! I had that Rodian writer watched as well. Who do you think his assistant was? One of mine! So, what now. You have to tell me! Are they coming after me?" Suprine yelled holding her tighter with a bit of pain around her arm.

"No one's coming after you, baby." Minra said. "Let go of my arm!"

"Not until you tell me what's up! And who is in the duct above us!" Suprine shouted. "You up there! Come down! I don't know how you got in there, but get down here and tell me what's going on! Mabs, get a few more guys in here, now." Suprine ordered.

Suprine knocked the duct vent and a dusty Ahsoka came down through it, jumped to her feet, dusted herself off and said "You must be Cag Suprine, pleased to meet you. I have a proposition for you..."

Ahsoka stood there with her hands in the air, Suprine's men surrounding her, with Suprine still restraining Minra, though he not knowing that Minra could get away if she wanted to. As she sensed a finger getting ready to set on a blaster to fire, she immediately lit up one of her lightsabers. The blaster shot towards her and she diverted the blast, where it singed a strange statue on the end table.

"That's one of my favorite pieces! Lightsaber, huh, haven't seen one of those in ages. Ok, now, Torgruta, talk." Suprine said.

"I'm representing the Rebel Alliance, they are.." Ahsoka started.

"Hold up. I don't deal with the Rebel Alliance. They just want to take out the Empire and make it their own government, which I really don't see any better than what the Empire was. Don't even bother giving me your speech. I'm not interested. As for you Minra, you disappoint me. Is this who you have been working for? I thought we had something here?" Suprine said with a bit of a sadness and a bit of anger.

"I wouldn't have come if it wasn't important and if we didn't actually have a chance to defeat the Emperor." Minra said.

"You wouldn't have come? So you are using me?" Suprine said.

"I would have come, just not with this. You have to believe that." Minra said. "I would never betray you, they asked me to plead with you for help. They actually have a chance at killing the Emperor, and they need as many ships as they can get. You have ships, you have power, and you have a lot of explosives. They took some heavy loses."

"What do I get out of this?" Suprine said.

"What you always wanted. Independence." Minra said.

"Take the Torgruta into a cell. I need to think about this." Suprine said.

Minra looked at Ahsoka, and said. "Just go with them, for now. Please."

Ahsoka allowed herself to be taken to the cell. One of the men started to get rough with her, and she kicked him and then flipped over him and grabbed his arm and restrained him. The other guard, while armed, just stood there in utter shock. "Look, I will go with you, but you don't rough me up, see. And don't think you can hold me in that cell."

Ahsoka took out her lightsabers and stood there. They started and just dropped their weapons. Ahsoka walked back to the area where Minra and Suprine were, and they were holding each other tightly. "Ahsoka, he said he will help them. You take the ship and send then the message. Take this comm and these codes, and he will get in touch with you."

"What made you change your mind, Suprine?" Ahsoka said.

"I don't know. For a moment I wanted to kill her and I got scared of the idea of losing her. I'm tired. I will talk to your leader, I'm not making any promises, mind you, but I will listen. For Minra." Suprine said. "I know you would never betray me, love, not truly."

Ahsoka got back to the Rebel Fleet and debriefed with General Cracken about the arrangements with Suprine and the Alliance. After the meeting, he informed her that Mon Mothma had wanted to meet with her personally on another matter. Ahsoka, made her way to Mon Mothma's office, where she was waiting. "Ah, Lady Tano, I don't know how you did it, but it seems you may have gotten us another reluctant ally. Nice work."

"Well, I'm not really sure how much credit you can give me on that one, Minra seemed to have done most of the work, to be honest." Ahsoka said.

"We are well aware of Minra's involvement, Lady Tano, however, she would have been in grave danger had you not been there. I was sure you would be able to take care of yourself and keep our agent safe. Suprine and I have arranged a meeting, and he had a great deal to say about you. He is quite a loaded weapon that one, and who knows what he would have done had you not been there. Still, his resources will be a great help to us, and his influence even greater. He is willing to meet with Admiral Ackbar and I have high hopes for the meeting. Why I have called you in here is on another matter entirely. There is something you should know. As you were made aware, Princess Leia has not been in touch with the Rebel Alliance for some time. Well, it seems, with great relief, she has finally been returned to us. She has been through a great deal and she has found another of our missing commanders along the way. They are currently both getting medical attention. There is something you should know about our commander though, and I wanted you to hear it from me. I would like to keep this conversation between the two of us, as it has to deal with your past. Our missing commander's name is Luke Skywalker." Mon Mothma informed Ahsoka.

Ahsoka gasped. Surely that name was not common? Was it?

"His name is not a secret, mind you, it's just, well, I know the name Skywalker is important to you, and yes, he is aware his father was a Jedi named Anakin Skywalker. I thought that would grab your attention. He was brought to us by Princess Leia contacting Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was bringing him along to Alderaan after she had sent him a message from Bail Organa. That is not necessarily public knowledge, though some of it is. While on route to the planet, Alderaan was destroyed and they were beamed to the Death Star where Leia was being held captive. She was taken off the battle station by Luke and the crew of the ship, a human captain and a wookiee. General Kenobi was killed on the Death Star. He had been alive on Tatooine for 19 years in hiding. Bail had told me privately and secretly that he was still living and that he had known where he was, and we discussed bringing him out of hiding, it was only at that point, the point where it may have been necessary, that I was aware he was still alive. I was made to understand from the briefings of the individuals on the Death Star, that Kenobi's death was a sacrifice of his own life to allow the others to flee. I'm am very sorry to have told you about his death, as you only just knew that he was alive for all that time, but you must understand that he, like you needed to hide. I do wish for you to meet young Luke, however, I would prefer that you keep it to yourself when speaking with him, your association with Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. I have my reasons. I think perhaps you do as well. Still, I would like for you to meet and talk with him. He came to us injured emotionally and physically. He has not disclosed the whole story of what happened. He was also missing a hand, and was in bad shape when he returned to us. I am sure it would benefit you both if you got to know one another, but I understand if you would prefer not to." Mon Mothma replied.

Obi-Wan had survived, Bail Organa knew and never told her. There had to be a reason, but she couldn't help but be hurt by that news. She sensed at times Organa's weird questions were feeling her out about things she may have known, and suspected that Senator Organa may have known a few things she knew, or knew later, but would never disclose them. All this secrecy may have had to do with Obi-Wan and possibly this Luke. She could understand that though. Did Mon Mothma realize what happened to her master? What does Mon Mothma know? Who else knows and who else could be out there? Was this Luke, Anakin's relative? Whatever he was, she knew she had to meet him.

Ahsoka left Mon Mothma's office and saw a small young woman accompanied by a wookiee approaching. The woman smiled, but then the wookiee gave a greeting then said a name she was once called by a wookiee, this very wookiee!

"Chewbacca?" Ahsoka asked.

Chewbacca roared. Patted her head and told her that she had grown up.

"I did! I can't believe it's you. I wondered what happened to you occasionally over the years?" Ahsoka said and she hugged him and laughed.

Not paying too much attention to the young woman, she then looked at her. She recognized her from somewhere or she reminded her of someone. Then the young woman spoke. "I see you know Chewie. I'm Leia Organa. I don't believe I have seen you before?"

"Princess Leia? No, I don't believe we have ever met. I did work for your father with the rebellion for many years. Ahsoka Tano. Very pleased to meet you, in fact, I came to the rebellion looking for you. I felt it time to get back into the fight. It seems they found me instead." Ahsoka replied.

Chewie roared.

"Chewie says you rescued each other many years ago? That's incredible!" Leia replied.

"I can't believe he's here, honestly." Ahsoka said.

"Well for the past few days, he hasn't left me alone." Leia replied. "It's a long story." and Leia gave him a big hug.

Chewie roared.

"He has to leave soon? I think I didn't catch all of that." Ahsoka said.

"Yes, well, have you eaten? I need to discuss something with Mon Mothma briefly, but would you like to join Chewie and myself for something to eat. I could use something, and frankly, Chewie here could always use something to eat." Leia asked.

"Sure, I would love to. I can talk to Chewbacca for a bit, and catch up." Ahsoka said.

"Great. See you in a bit." and Leia walked into Mon Mothma's office.

"I can't believe you're here! How did that happen!" Ahsoka asked.

Chewie roared.

"Mon Mothma mentioned that, so that was you, on that ship. Were you there with Master Kenobi?" Ahsoka asked.

Chewie roared.

"It was Darth Vader?" Ahsoka face sank.

Chewie roared.

"I'm ok, it's just. Well. Oh it's been a long time is all." Ahsoka said.

Chewie roared.

"Oh, I'm not a Jedi anymore, Chewbacca, that's a long story, too." Ahsoka said. "I haven't been one in a very long time."

Chewie roared.

"It's good to see you again, too."

Princess Leia came out of her meeting with Mon Mothma and they took Ahsoka in the direction of the Falcon. "I'm afraid that this ship cafeteria only has nutrition pouches and ration bars, but I know a place where we can get some real food."

Ahsoka looked at the Princess, and couldn't help but stare. She remembered Bail talking about her a few times, but she had never seen her. She reminded her of someone, and she got a sense that something was quite sad about her. Whatever happened during that time she was gone, must have affected her in some way. She seemed very confident and cordial though, but there was something in her eyes that she just couldn't place. When they arrived at the place where this ship was connected, a lift took them down into it. It was an old freighter, and what she got from Chewie was that he lived there.

"Lando, that's the man who helped us escape" Leia said with a little anger as if she didn't like the man or the escape or something "did stock the ship with some food in the hopes we would be able to leave the city after he had the ship repaired."

"Is this ship yours, Chewbacca?" Ahsoka asked.

Chewie roared with sadness.

"Chewie will be leaving soon, to go look for him, I imagine Lando will go. He's meeting with some security detail going over a few things." Princess Leia said. "I really don't want to go into that whole ordeal right now. So you used to work with my father? I'm afraid he never mentioned you."

"He wouldn't have. It was top secret. Mon Mothma seemed to know some of it when I spoke with her, and your General Cracken. I worked in intelligence, until about five years ago. Something happened with me as well, I would rather not talk about." Ahsoka replied.

"I see. Oh, Chewie is coming with the food. Chewie really is a great cook, either that, or I have gotten really used to his cooking, or just used to alliance rations." Leia exclaimed. "Chewie, we need to remember to bring some of this to Luke. I'm sure he will appreciate it. If he is up to it, that is. Luke is our friend, he's in medical now, he had been in a bacta bath, but now he is up and awaiting some cybertechnics."

"I keep hearing about this Luke, you can't imagine how many times since I have come here." Ahsoka said. "Or frankly, you as well."

Chewie roared.

Ahsoka patted Chewbacca. "Oh, it's so good to see you! I understand how you all have been through a lot. Mon Mothma said you were missing for weeks."

"The weeks weren't so bad, this wonderful hunk of junk was broken so we were floating in space. It was when we went to get help is what was the ordeal." Leia answered.

"Chewbacca, however did you wind up with the rebellion?" Ahsoka asked.

Chewbacca roared.

"Obi-Wan and Luke hired you and your what was that? Brother?" Ahsoka asked.

"It's amazing you understand him. Wookiees take a life debt seriously see, and he's talking about Han. That's our friend. He's well, he's not here." Leia said.

Chewie roared sadly.

"That's why Chewie has to go, to find Han. And why he won't leave me alone while he is still here. He's kind of well, it's the last thing Han said to him, to look out for me, so that's what he is doing. He wanted me to sleep here on the ship, while it's still docked, but well, someone came back with us. It's going to be hard to let Chewie go, but he has to do it, and I want him to." Leia said.

Chewie roared.

"So you aren't officially even in the rebellion?" Ahsoka asked.

"He's not. They just never left. Chewie would in a heartbeat though if he could. He's very committed. He just is bonded by that debt. If you ask me though, it should be the other way around." Leia laughed a bit at that last part. "I'm going to miss the food, too. I actually feel guilty when the soldiers are eating nutrition pouches, and rations and portions and such, but Chewie needs more than that, and well..."

Chewie roared.

"You have a family now as well? Wow, Chewbacca, you really have been busy." Ahsoka said.

"He hasn't been there much. His home world has been in the grips of the Empire. It's disgusting. Slaves. It's ghastly. I don't think he has been there more than once or twice since I have known him." Leia said.

Chewie roared sadly.

"Yes, we all have lost so much." Ahsoka replied and patted Chewie on the arm. "Well, thank you for dinner, Chewie and Princess Leia."

"Please, just Leia, and walk out with me, Chewie will walk with us. He won't rest unless I get safely to my room. You would think he doesn't know I know how to take care of myself." Leia said.

Chewbacca laughed.

"He knows, he just still has to do it. We have to stop and visit a friend on the way. Come walk a bit with us. Chewie pack up a little of this food. It's Luke, but not sure he is ready to meet new people, just yet." Leia said.

Ahsoka walked a bit with Leia and Chewbacca. It was weird to run into Chewbacca and amazing how the Force brought individuals together, and what a small galaxy it had become. First, the daughter of her old friend Lux, and then Chewbacca, as she had already expected to see Princess Leia, though she had been missing when she arrived. It was just incredible how they had found each other, and then Obi-Wan as well, though he was sadly gone, and a kid named Skywalker. The Force works in mysterious ways.


	3. Questions with no answers

Ahsoka was given a datapad that included a few books and holos for some light entertainment, but she didn't seem to have the patience to read or watch. She tried to rest, thinking about her conversation with Leia, and something about her was nagging at Ahsoka. Maybe she had seen her before. She got a very strong sense of something. Leia was in general hard to read, Ahsoka found some individuals that way, not all were weak minded as Obi-Wan used to say, and it was as if she was being masked. Mostly she could read her nonverbal cues, and not her feelings or senses. There was something about her eyes though that were very familiar. She was aware that Bail Organa and his wife Queen Breha had adopted Leia as an infant, so it wasn't that she reminded her of him, but there was something. It was almost as if Leia could have been one of Senator Amidala's handmaidens, if she was not Princess of Alderaan.  
Seeing Chewbacca again as well was something else. She had remembered many years ago when Kashyyyk was again taken by the Empire and many of it's citizens were killed and enslaved. She was relieved to see him, but wondered what had happened to Chewbacca in those years, but was relieved to see that he had survived. She wondered why he owed this friend who owned the ship a life debt. Perhaps he had been enslaved again? He seemed to be their friend though, and not their slave, and she was aware of life debts and some of the culture of wookiees in regards to that. She grew sleepy thinking about so many things, and laid down on the small cot and fell asleep.

She awoke to hear a knock on the door. A little startled, she checked the chrono, there was never any sense of morning or noon or night in space, and realized she had been sleeping way too long. She got up, went to the door and found Chewbacca and Leia standing there. 

“We wondered if you would like to have some breakfast with us. Since you were new here, and probably didn't know too many people, I thought I would ask. Chewie here came to get me, and suggested you come along, it's real food again. Might as well enjoy it while they are still here.” Leia asked. 

“Um, Sure, give me a couple of minutes to get myself together, and I'll walk with you.” Ahsoka replied.

“I hope we didn't wake you.” Leia said.

Ahsoka replied. “You did, but I had been sleeping too long anyway. I guess I needed the rest.” 

“I wish I could say the same, I really haven't been sleeping much lately, anyway, Chewie and I will give you a few minutes and come back, ok? We will be back in a bit, going to go check in on our friend Luke, and then we will come back and get you.” Leia said. 

Ahsoka went into the fresher and brushed her teeth. She really didn't know too many on the ship, as when she got here, they kept it a secret, and then sent her straight on a mission. It was nice that Leia and Chewie had taken to her, it had been a while since she had people who cared, or well, spent much time with anyone. Something about Leia always talking about Luke made her feel good as well. She assumed that Luke had been either really Anakin's son, or at least a relative who was told he was his son. She would try to figure that out when she actually met him, but she wondered, how could Anakin have had a son? Oh, she knew that he and Senator Amidala were closer than just friends, she wondered if Luke could have been her son? Or someone else? What made Anakin turn into a Sith Lord, if he had a child? Did he know he had a child? Was he really his child? She cleaned up a bit, and looked up Senator Amidala on the datapad. She knew she had died. There really wasn't much on the holonet about her, only the fact she had been queen of Naboo, and her death. When she saw the picture though of her funeral, it looked as if she were pregnant in the holo. It was an odd feeling that she had looking at what little could be found on the holonet. So much of what she knew about her was erased. Nothing about her senate career, or her involvement in the clone wars, not much at all, just the one picture of her as the queen, and the funeral picture, and those things were only there in relation to the history and information on the planet Naboo. She looked at her old friend again in the holo. Maybe so much of her had been erased because of what happened to Anakin. That would make sense. She then started to look up what she could of herself, and thought twice about it, but then she heard another knock, and it seemed that her new friends had returned to take her to breakfast.

“How is your friend, Luke?” Ahsoka asked.

“He's being prepped today for his new hand. He seemed in good spirits. I hate leaving him alone, but he has the droids with him. I know that people don't think of droids often as being friends, but these droids..” Leia started to say before she was interupted.

“Oh, you don't have to explain about droids. I know exactly what you mean. Many of them I have called friends myself. I can remember a certain astromech..” Ahsoka started.

“Oh yes, his astromech is one of his best friends. You do know what I mean. There's a protocol droid as well, he's keeping him company, though I hope he isn't driving him crazy. He was with us during our weeks in space, and well honestly, we had to turn him off a bit. I felt guilty doing it.” Leia said

Chewbacca roared.

“I do know what you mean.” Ahsoka said. 

They got to the Falcon, and climbed in one at a time, and Lando was waiting in the lounge at the holochess table. 

“Well, Leia didn't tell me what a lovely lady she was bringing to breakfast.” Lando said in his usual smooth and charming way.

“Lando Calrissian, this is Ahsoka Tano.” Leia said.

Lando took her hand and kissed it, and Ahsoka taken aback by the gesture, gave Lando a suspicious eye for a moment. “Why does Lando Calrissian sound familiar to me?” Ahsoka asked.

“I'm sure I have quite the reputation throughout the galaxy!” Lando suggested.

Ahsoka gave him a suspicious eye and said. “Maybe.” 

Then it hit her. It was one of those names Ezra Bridger would use as a false name! This Lando person must have a reputation, and well, it wasn't necessarily great. Ezra would do that with shady individuals he knew or heard of. She laughed to herself. Lando was nothing if not charming though, she sensed some kind of animosity coming from Leia's expression. It wasn't the first time though that he was mentioned that she felt that Leia was a bit unnerved by him, yet, here they all were, breaking bread so to speak.

“How do you all know each other?” Ahsoka asked.

“That's a long story. Honestly, Lando and I just met.” Leia said.

Lando added. “I was an administrator on Bespin, do you know Bespin? Cloud City, tibanna gas mine. Won it in a card game of all things!” Lando laughed. “Kept the Empire out, until well, Darth Vader showed up, and now, I'm here.” 

“You sold us out to him, I know you said you had no choice, but..” Leia said.

“I told you, Leia, that I did have no choice. You don't tell Darth Vader no.” Lando said. “I had a responsibility to all those people...”

“You could have warned us.” Leia said.

Chewie roared.

“Chewie's right, let's just eat. I'm sorry Ahsoka.” Leia said. “Like I said, it's a long story.”

“Darth Vader?” Ahsoka asked.

“Not now, OK” Leia said.

“Chewbacca and I go way back, and Han. I knew them years ago. I actually used to own this ship if you can believe it.” Lando said.

“It's um, quite a ship.” Ahsoka said looking around and wondering how it held together so well.

“Fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy. Except when it's not, right Lando?” Leia said.

“Right.” Lando said. 

They ate quietly, Lando trying to avoid upsetting Leia and Leia trying not to get upset to ruin the breakfast for Ahsoka.

“So, Chewbacca, you and Lando are going to look for your friend, Han? What happened to him?” Ahsoka asked.

Ahsoka heard the clicking of utensils and silence. Chewie roared.

“What was that?” Ahsoka asked, but wasn't sure she should have, she couldn't understand what Chewbacca said.

“Darth Vader had him frozen in carbonite, and gave him to a bounty hunter.” Lando gulped. “He had a bounty on him from Jabba the Hutt, on Tatooine. We are hoping to get him back from Jabba.” 

“Jabba the Hutt. Wow. Darth Vader?” Ahsoka said with some shock.

Leia just put her face in her hands. Chewie roared. Lando sat there silently. Ahsoka felt awkward.

“I know you will get him back, Chewbacca. I was frozen in carbonite once. It was to hide from heat signatures, during the Clone Wars. If you are frozen too long though, it can be trouble. If they take him out of stasis sooner than later though, the worst can just be temporary blindness. Jabba though, that's bad news.” Ahsoka said.

“We are well aware of what Jabba can do.” Lando said. “Han owed him a lot of money. Hoping he still has him frozen, not much he can do with him like that, but if he takes him out of it, who knows what Jabba will do to make an example out of him.”

Chewie roared with sadness. 

“Can we just get off this, please.” Leia said.

“Um, I'm sorry. I know you will get your friend back.” Ahsoka said. 

“I feel bad about the whole thing, anyway.” Lando said. “So, what's a beautiful lady like you doing in a place like this?” 

“Um, just helping out where I can.” Ahsoka said. 

Chewbacca roared.

“Yes, Lando and Chewie will be leaving soon. Our friend, Luke, is having a procedure done today, and Chewie wanted to wait until he got through it to leave. After that, he and Lando are headed for Tatooine. Tatooine is actually Luke's home planet. That's where he met Han and Chewie.” Leia said.

“Really, Tatooine, huh?” Ahsoka said.

“Yes. Chewie, we really should go and check on Luke. I want to see him before he gets his procedure. It may take a while. Let's finish up here then head out.” Leia said.

Lando said “Um, I'll clean up, you all go, I will catch up with you later.” 

Chewie roared.

“Ok, Chewbacca, Ok, I know, It's going to take me a long while to live this down.” Lando said. 

“Lando, for the record, I know you are trying. It's just well..” Leia said.

Lando sadly said. “It bothers me, too, really. I lost everything.” 

“Haven't we all?” Leia replied then headed towards the hatch to the home ship.

Ahsoka followed, along with Chewbacca. Chewbacca roared.

“I might as well, Chewbacca. I would like to meet your friend, Luke, as I said, I have heard so much about him.” Ahsoka said.

“I don't know if he is up for it, Ahsoka. Come with us anyway, you can keep Chewie and I company for a while.” Leia said.

“This Luke is pretty special to you, isn't he?” Ahsoka said.

“I lost my whole planet, Ahsoka, and well, Luke, and Chewie and well, Han, they sort of are my family now. I think Luke may have lost a lot though, whatever happened on Cloud City. He wasn't there with us, but somehow found us. He shouldn't have come. Darth Vader set up a trap for him. Why am I telling you this? I guess you seem like, well, we just met, but you seem to be, it's like I have known you a long time, even if I haven't. And you knew my father, I guess. There's just something about you.” Leia said.

“You too, really.” Ahsoka said. “I haven't been able to connect with many people in a very long time.” 

“Anyway, Luke is special. He's like well, it's like we are connected. I can't explain it. We sense things about one another.” Leia said.

Ahsoka thought about that. She understood that completely, it was that way with her and Anakin. Was Leia sensitive to the Force? Ahsoka couldn't sense that from her. Surely the inquisitors would have found her as a youngling if she were, coming from a Core planet like Alderaan. However, she was a member of the royal family, and adopted. Bail could have been hiding her and knew she was Force sensitive? That does sound like something Bail would do. Ahsoka wasn't even sure that Leia was Force sensitive, only from that little detail she gave that might indicate that. It wasn't like when she saw that child move objects with her mind. If this Luke was Anakin's it was possible that he was strong in the Force as well. Could it have been one sided? Usually it didn't work that way. Weird thing was, Ahsoka could sense little with Leia, and she could with most people she met. 

They got to the medical bay and Chewie stood with Ahsoka outside, while Leia went in. Leia soon came out and said, “Luke isn't up for visitors. He did ask if you would come in for a minute, Chewie, he wants to see you before they work on him. I told him you were leaving. I do hope he feels a bit better when he gets his new hand.” 

Chewie roared and walked in. Soon after, Threepio and Artoo came out. Ahsoka could not believe her eyes. Artoo beeped excitedly.

“Artoo!!! Threepio!!! I don't believe it!” Ahsoka squealed.

Artoo beeped a lot and moved with excitement.

“It's great to see you as well, Artoo! I never thought I would ever see you again.” Ahsoka said.

“You know Artoo?” Leia said.

“I do, um well.” Ahsoka thought. “He was on your father's ship.”

“Oh yes, in Captain Antilles service. Artoo delivered my message to Ben Kenobi, that's how Luke got him.” Leia said.

“Artoo is one of the most remarkable droids I have ever known.” Ahsoka said. “How are you, Threepio?”

“Threepio, may have been wiped a few times, he doesn't always remember things from too far back, I think Captain Antilles may have had him wiped a few times.” Leia said. “He remembers everything though since.” 

“Artoo remembers me.” Ahsoka said and she hugged the droid. “It must seem silly for me to hug him to you.”

Leia laughed. “I know Artoo, and it's not silly at all. Luke is quite devoted to him, as is Artoo.” 

Ahsoka couldn't help but smile about that. 

“I am C-3PO, I know six million languages, how can I be of service.” Threepio said.

“Same old, Threepio.” Ahsoka said. 

Lando came lopping down the corridor, with a big grin on his face, coming towards Leia, Ahsoka and the droids as if he was a tooka who just caught a womp-rat. “Ladies” Lando said in greeting. “How's Luke doing?” He then said with concern.

“They have been prepping him, Chewie is with him now. You can go in if you like, he actually wants to talk with you.” Leia said in a cold manner. 

“Thank you, if you will permit me.” He bowed, cape flowing, he was wearing Han's clothes, and it annoyed Leia. Lando then proceeded into Luke's room.  
Leia understood that he only had the clothes on his back when he left Cloud City, and there wasn't much on the home ship as far as clothing to give him, it wasn't like he could go shopping. There were some work uniforms, maybe a few costumes, or coveralls around, and of course, Lando had to take the nicest things that Han had. She could tell Lando was completely out of his element. 'It serves him right' she thought. As she was thinking about how much Lando's presence was a necessary evil, General Rieekan arrived. His presence was more calming.

“Princess, Commander Tano.” General Rieekan said.

“Commander?” Leia looked at Ahsoka.

“Ah, see, back in the Clone Wars, I remember her as Commander Tano.” Rieekan laughed. 

“I see.” Leia laughed and gave the general a hug.

“How's Luke, I thought I would go check on him before he had his procedure.” Rieekan asked.

“He's getting ready. Lando and Chewie are with him now.” Leia said.

“Now that you mention it, General Cracken would like to see the both of them before they leave. He has some things to go over with them, and some contacts on Tatooine.” Rieekan stated. “I can let them know when I go in. Mon Mothma wants to see you, by the way, Tano. When you get the chance.” 

“That's kind of him to help. I know it's not really Alliance business, but I appreciate it.” Leia said.

“Captain Solo will be back, Princess.” and he patted her arm.

Leia just nodded.

“Commander Antilles wants to come over with some of the Rogues after Luke gets more up and around after the procedure, he was going to come over with me, but got tangled up in something or other with one of the X-Wings.” Rieekan said.

“I'm sure he will appreciate that.” Leia said and Rieekan departed and went into Luke's room.

“Excuse me, Leia, I should go see what Mon Mothma wants.” Ahsoka said.

“Yes, you can get in touch with me later. Thank you for staying here with me, Ahsoka.” Leia said. 

Artoo tweeted and Ahsoka smiled and walked away.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

“I have another assignment for you, again it's on Bardotta. It's with an operative we have there, General Cracken will give you all the details. You met Ceedan?” Mon Mothma said.

“I did. While I was there.” Ahsoka said.

“Good. It may be a help that you were there recently. I had a discussion with Cag Suprine, and though he has his faults, we are willing to trust him. Ceedan will act as a kind of mediator. You will return to Bardotta, and meet with him. By the way, how are you adjusting here?” Mon Mothma asked.

“Just fine, in the short time I have actually spent here, I'm already making friends. Princess Leia has been very kind, and Chewbacca is an old friend. It was really surprised to see him here.” Ahsoka said.

“You knew Chewbacca? Did it have to do with smuggling?” Mon Mothma asked.

“Smuggling? No, why, oh no, it was back in the Clone Wars, we were both captured by Trandoshans and we helped each other escape. He's quite a remarkable wookiee.” Ahsoka said.

“We've been lucky to have him, though I myself can't understand him.” Mon Mothma asked.

“What's this about smuggling?” Ahsoka said.

“Oh, that's what he did before he came to us. Princess Leia is very close to Luke. I'm glad you hit it off with her. She doesn't warm to too many people. Don't get me wrong, she knows everyone, and she is well liked and respected. I think it's just hard to be.... I think people are intimidated by her. I understand that, many are intimidated by me. It's a curse when you are a leader. It's just she is so young, and yet, so much responsibility. I worry about her, though I really shouldn't. She's very strong and determined. She just needs to realize that it isn't all about the cause. She's like an old general who never was young. I am so afraid she will burn out. She should be taking a break after everything she has been through lately, but you know what she said to me? She wants to get right back to work and right back out there as soon as possible. It's rare she ever has any well, fun.” Mon Mothma says. “It's rare that I have fun, honestly, but well, she's only 22 years old.”

“Chewbacca seems to think a lot of her. I don't think I have spent time with her without him around at least in the past day or so. She said he won't leave her while he is here. I hope she will be OK when he leaves.” Ahsoka said.

“It's not just Chewbacca leaving. There is a lot more to it, but know this, she will be fine. Or at least, pretend to be fine. You should have seen her after Alderaan. I think she buried it deep, but instead of dwelling on it, she went right in to action. I'm afraid of what action she will find herself in now. I just hope she let's me know ahead of time.” Mon Mothma laughs. “I feel some responsibility towards her. Oh, she's very capable. She's important as a symbol of the alliance, a living representative of our cause and of what happened to Alderaan. It's a lot to carry though at that age. If anyone could though, it's her.” 

Ahsoka just nodded, not knowing too much about the Princess or whatever she did after Alderaan, or why she was burying her feelings. She just assumed that Mon Mothma wanted to talk. She thought about Mon Mothma and how much of what she was saying may even pertain to her as well. Being the leader of the Alliance, probably not having many people treating her like anything else, but that.

“I'm sure a lot of it has to do with how people treat her. She doesn't put on airs, she just seems like well, anyone to me. I've sensed how people feel around her, well other people, they right away tighten up, treat her with respect or like a superior or a princess, but not her friends. Chewbacca just thinks of her as a friend, and I think of her as Bail Organa's daughter and he was a friend, and not as a Princess, but just Leia. I'm sure that is a lot of it. I noticed that about that Lando person as well. Even if she doesn't care for him or is mad at him, for whatever reason.” Ahsoka noted.

“Indeed, and Luke is like that as well. Did you get to meet Luke yet?” Mon Mothma asked.

“No, not yet.” Ahsoka said.

“I do hope he will be all right.” Mon Mothma said. “Anyway, set up a meeting with Cracken, I am sure he will want you to leave in 15 hours or so, and will need to set you up with details, a ship and the like.” 

“I will. And thank you, Ma'am.” Ahsoka said.

“Oh please, call me Mon.” Mon Mothma said. “It was nice to talk with you, Ahsoka.” 

Ahsoka went to General Cracken's office and got the information on what was needed in Bardotta. She had already met Ceedon, and even knew the contact place from her last trip there. She was still a bit fuzzy on details, but Cracken told her that everything would come together once she had gotten there. She wanted to see Chewbacca before he left, but Leia said he had already gone with Lando. She decided she really needed to get some rest before her trip to Bardotta, and as she was laying on the bed, she heard a familiar voice. 

“Ahsoka. Ahsoka.” it said.

“I'm here!” She said not realizing it was out loud. She fell asleep.

After some rest, she tried to get up with Leia before she left. There was no answer, so she decided to go to Luke Skywalker's room, thinking she might be there, and wondering if he was up to meet her. Leia had said his hand surgery had gone well, and he was getting some recovery help, so he was still in medical. She got to his room, knocked, and a young man answered the door. 

“Yes?” he said.

Without saying anything she looked him up and down. He was shorter than she thought he would be, and he did somewhat resemble her old master, but she wasn't sure. 

“Are you Ahsoka? Leia told me about you, come in. You do talk don't you?” He said.

She laughed, and said. “Sorry.” 

Artoo beeped. 

“Artoo says he knows you. That's amazing!” Luke said. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” She said.

“Are you a Jedi?” Luke asked.

“Why would you say that?” Ahsoka said.

“Because while I was recovering, I saw you, and you had two lightsabers. I know that must sound weird.” Luke said.

“No, I don't think that sounds weird.” Ahsoka said.

“No.” He said with a quizzed look on his face. “No, I wouldn't think you would.” 

“I'm not a Jedi.” She said.

“Then, who are you?” Luke asked. 

“I used to be a Jedi.” Ahsoka said.

Luke got all quiet and sat down. “I don't really feel much like talking right now. I'm sorry. Come back again though. I'm just not ready.”

Ahsoka touched his arm and nodded. He grabbed her hand, and gave it a pat. “I will. I'm sorry, Luke.” 

She shut the door, sadly, and remembered when she felt betrayed by the Jedi Temple so many years before. Something made Luke have similar feelings right now, she could sense how troubled he was. She would try to see him again when she returned from her mission. She wasn't sure that he truly was her master's child, but it didn't matter. She felt that she did need him, whoever he was, but she needed to be patient.


	4. Sacrifices and Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the frustrating first meeting between Ahsoka and Luke being so awkward, I hope the fact they actually meet and talk a bit more this time a bit more satisfying. I use a lot of canon, but I don't always stay on canon. It's a fan fic, it's just for fun and I don't take it too seriously. I love Ahsoka, and have been wanting to write a story with her and Luke and Leia in it for some time. Thanks for reading.

The ship that Cracken assigned Ahsoka this time was less than steller. Already in space, she had problems with the motivator and had to fix a few wires to get the hyperdrive to work properly. When she asked for something a little less glamorous, she didn't expect something like this. It wasn't long before Ahsoka began to learn some of the quirks of this ship, and wondered if somehow the galaxy was testing her on her skills. She actually enjoyed the experience of getting into the guts of the ship. It was what she wanted after all, something she could make her own. It took an hour to get it out of the hanger, but once it got flying, she thought it was good until it wasn't. Didn't Cracken want her to get to Bardotta as soon as possible? It may have been all that was available that didn't scream, Rebel Alliance, she assumed, but whatever she could say, it wasn't boring.

When she finally got into hyperspace, and she could finally relax somewhat, her thoughts drifted to her encounter with Luke Skywalker. It was just so strange. Of course she was aware that he had some kind of injury where he lost his hand, and was still in some kind of recovery, but it was just so odd. And why would he ask her if she was a Jedi? 'Oh, the vision', she thought to herself, he did say he had one. She did intrude, looking for Leia, and she did want to meet him, after learning he was possibly the son of her former master. Even though he believed it, as Mon Mothma told him, she wasn't sure she did. Was it because of what she knew had happened to Anakin, or that he was a Jedi and Jedi didn't tend to have families? She didn't know. It was obvious he was having a hard time with something, and that was understandable. She drifted off into sleep, hoping to get a good rest while the ship made it's way to it's destination, and hoping another alarm wouldn't go off indicating something else was broken.

She was able to get on planet with no trouble, and the meeting was to be at the same playhouse cafe where she met Minra on her prior trip. She sat in the same corner, in the dark, and waited for Ceedan, her contact. Ceedan never showed up. She kept waiting, and the server droid started to question her presence, having been there for hours, and she then left. She knew Ceedan may be in the playhouse, in the backstage area, and if not, certainly someone would know where he was. Would it cause suspicion asking for him? She had to use a mind trick to even get back stage, and more than one person questioned her presence. She dropped Minra's name once or twice, saying she was an old friend. She got nothing but strange looks. It was then that someone found her, a young woman quietly whispered, "Ashla?" and motioned for her to follow. They went up some stairs then into a dark area above the stage, then through a corridor and to a small room that was being used as storage. The young woman looked all around, quietly checking every crevice and behind large objects. For what, Ahsoka was not sure. Ahsoka herself got suspicious, and reached out into the Force to feel if she could detect anything out of the ordinary. It seemed clean, as far as transmitters or listening beings. It was then that the young woman introduced herself. "I'm Spinda, Ceedan's assistant. I knew you were coming, you see, he's missing."

Ahsoka thought about this information. She remembered from her trip to Cag Suprine's ship that Spinda worked for him, as well as for Ceedan, or at least she assumed that from Suprine's statement to Minra about how he knew about her involvement with Ceedan and her secrets. "Don't you work for Suprine? I mean, I was led to believe..."

"Oh that. Yes, Suprine has me watch Minra and Ceedan when they are here. Suprine isn't involved though whatever this is. I know about his and Minra's involvement with the Rebel Alliance. I swear, though I am not a mole from the Empire. I hate the Empire, and I have been working with Suprine's cell for sometime in the hopes of destroying it. I am also his contact with an Alliance cell here on Bardotta. And Suprine just, pays me well which doesn't hurt. I never knew everything about what they were up to, really, just Suprine was more concerned with their relationship, and his own interests right now, and his freedom. And he does want to help the Alliance, this time, this is not about that. Minra and Suprine don't know he's missing. I didn't tell them the last time I had contact. I went to his apartment to bring him his daily schedule and go over a few things and he was gone. The door was not locked, and there was evidence of a scuffle. I don't know where he is." Spinda said with concern.

"This apartment, can we go have a look? How far away is it?" Ahsoka asked with concern.

"It's not far, he also keeps a room here in the playhouse. I checked there as well." Spinda replied.

The apartment was a few blocks away, and as they approached, they noticed two stormtroopers outside the building, standing and chatting on the front steps. "Wait here." Ahsoka advised the young woman.

Ahsoka quietly made her way closer, trying to listen to the stormtroopers. There didn't seem to be more of them in the area, just these two right here, nor did there seem to be any large Imperial presence in the city in general. She listened in and could make out the words 'routine'and 'search', but could make out not much else from their conversations into their comms. She decided to get into the building somehow, see what was going on, and slipped into a trash chute that left the building into a large container. She slowly made her way up, as quietly as she could. The smell was bad, and she had been in worse situations. She could only hope that the chute wasn't going to be in use while she was hiding in it. As she made her way up to the top, she opened the door slightly, to see if she could see anything. The hall was empty, so she climbed out, and quickly made her way to a stairwell. She heard voices, and ducked into a corner. As the voices came closer, she climbed up the walls and made herself flat on the ceiling, with her hands and feet tightly bracing the walls, as to not be seen. Two more stormtroopers had walked out of the stairwell and into the corridor, silently, carrying a box of items. After they left the corridor, Ahsoka jumped down and made her way up the stairs from the direction from which the stormtroopers came. From the corner of her eye, she saw four stormtroopers carrying a body wrapped in a sheet, into the apartment. After the stormtroopers left, she came out of her hiding space and went to the apartment. She went and checked the body, and found it be cold. She sensed that it was still alive, and touched it gently. There were bruises and cuts all over the Rodian's body. She saw his face and realized that it was indeed Ceedan, he wasn't dead, but he was in bad shape. She heard more sounds coming, then she hid somewhere in the apartment, hoping not to be discovered. The stormtroopers returned, gave the body a shot of some kind, left and closed the door. A few moments later, the Rodian woke and sat up.

"Ceedan?"

"What, what happened." The confused Rodian said in Huttese and in a very groggy state.

"I don't know, you tell me?" Ahsoka asked.

"Ashla? Ashla, you need to get out of here. Now!" Ceedan demanded in Huttese. "They are watching me, don't let them see you." He pointed to the window. "I will be in contact. Just go!"

Ahsoka went to the window and saw a fire escape. It wasn't a very sturdy fire escape, but it was enough to have something to hold onto as she made her way down the outside building. She jumped down, and saw stormtroopers off in the distance. She had hoped Spinda was in a safe location. She knew of no where to go, so she went back to the playhouse, to the area where she had met Spinda, the supply area over the stage. She waited there a while, and Spinda eventually found her. "I was hoping you would find your way back here. I saw the stormtroopers and came back to the playhouse. I've heard from Minra. She can't come back to the planet. Ceedan has been found out, and the Empire is on to him about his secret messages. She left you something though, it was in her apartment. It will be brought to you. As for you, you can stay here if you like, I can get you a pallet and some food. I know it's not much, but staying at Minra's or Ceedan's 'nap room' just aren't a good idea right now. We can't afford for you to be found out as well. The Empire is using Ceedan as a trap, I imagine. We have ways to contact Minra though, and we will get you a rendezvous point. I, well, I have to leave. Suprine will have someone come and get you soon. Just stay here."

Spindra came back with some bedding, some food, water and a datapad. "Everything you need will be right there. Give the datapad to your contact, they will know what to do. Just stay here. If you have to leave, they will find you."

"Where will you be?" Ahsoka was confused, and had a bad feeling about the whole situation.

"I have to go to Ceedan. He knows too much." Spindra said with sadness. "And so do I."

Ahsoka checked over the datapad, couldn't make out all the cryptic messages, and sat and had some of the food. After a while, she took a nap and was awoken by a noise. She slowly ducked into the cupboard in the corner, hoping to hide in as to not be discovered. A large Besalisk man in an elaborate costume, and a Twi'lek woman, appeared coming in through the door. The Twi'lek woman called out softly. "Ahsoka, are you here? We are with the Alliance."

Ahsoka never told Spindra her real name, nor did she tell Ceedan, she wondered if they had been sent by General Cracken, or something else was going on she wasn't privy to. Ahsoka made her way out, quietly, lightsaber at ready in case she was in need of it. Minra knew her real name, so it's possible they sent them. Still, it was safe not to trust anyone at this point. Without saying much, they directed her out of the room, and into a staircase that went to the roof. On the roof, was a small air speeder. The three of them hopped in. "Where's your ship." The Twi'lek woman asked and Ahsoka gave her the docking bay number.

They made their way to Ahsoka's ship, Ahsoka puzzled, as she was still not sure what was going on, and the Twi'lek woman motioned for Ahsoka to board the ship, she followed. The Besalisk man loaded a crate onto the ship, and left. The Twi'lek woman lifted the ramp and pushed in some coordinates. "And just where are we going?" Ahsoka asked.

"We are going to Suprine. Ceedan and Spinda are dead." The Twi'lek woman answered.

"How?"

"Spinda killed him, and then killed herself. They knew too much, it was the only way. The Empire were using them as a trap. I just hope he didn't give away anything while the Empire had him. They are after Minra. The whole cell on Bardotta is in danger. Spinda was working for us. That's all you need to know right now. Minra will fill you in on the rest." It was then that Ahsoka noticed that the Twi'lek woman had taken control of the ship. Her ship. She was so startled she didn't care to notice.

"I guess I'm just along for the ride now?" Ahsoka asked.

"No. Just wait and see."

It was some time before they got to Suprine's freighter, where Minra was waiting. Minra hugged the Twi'lek, who never gave her name, and Ahsoka, and brought them to a dining room, and told them to take a seat. Cag Suprine arrived, with a few of his men, and sat down, making a motion with his hand to one of the men, who then proceeded to leave. Minra took his side. Food was brought to the table, and Suprine passed a bottle of an unlabeled beverage. "Nectar of Muja fruit. It's a bit sweet. You may want to drink it with water. It goes nicely with the dish." Suprine offered everyone.

They sat quietly and ate their food, and Suprine spoke. "It seems we have a problem on Bardotta. Spinda has told me that Ceedan had been captured by the Empire. As you all are aware, Spinda was also working for me. Ceedan was delivering messages in code in his holonet works for the Alliance. I assure you that I was not involved with his being traced by the Empire. I have been in contact with your superiors in the Alliance and I am willing to work with them. You are to take me to them, and I am going to go over my plans and information with your High Command, and my ships will be sent to a location that I have already put in place until they are needed. We will have to leave soon. I will take two of my men, and Minra along with me. I understand your ship is small, but undetectable as a Rebel Alliance ship, and it is also not connected with my own fleet. We will need to use a larger ship for part of the journey, I will give you the coordinates, prior to our rendezvous with the Alliance. Ravon, you will get off there in the larger ship, your details will be on the ship, your commander has already arranged it. Minra will show you. Ahsoka, you will be escorting us then on to your Rebel Fleet. You can clear the details on your ship with your General Cracken. I assure you that I intend to fully cooperate in this mission. It's starting to look like they may actually win this thing, and I want to cover my own bases. They have given me the assurance that I can in the event of a takeover. Unfortunately, as you may already have been aware, Spinda and Ceedan have both been silenced. Let us hope that Ceedan has not been compromised of any of his information."

Minra then spoke up. "Ceedan was not informed of most of his information. He was only told what code words to use, he didn't know their meaning. He would not have given them much, but Spinda, Spinda was aware of much more." Minra had a sad tone to her voice. She took a swallow of the beverage and continued. "They were both not only people who I have worked with, but they were like family to me. It's been hard, I was the one who told Spinda what she had to do."

Cag Suprine hugged and caressed her. Ahsoka really thought the both of them were a very odd couple, but she was beginning to see the appeal. Minra was so glamorous and Cag so hard and rough looking, but here he was, this powerful so called "terrorist" hugging and comforting his love in her time of sadness. "Well, we must not dwell on what we can't change."

Ahsoka and Ravon were offered quarters so they could clean themselves up and rest for the journey. After the events of Bardotta, Ahsoka was glad to be able to sleep in a real bed for once. After a good rest, and another fine meal provided by Suprine, who seemed to have elegant tastes, they were on their way. First they congregated on the larger ship, Ravon going over her assignment on the datapad, classified and not sharing with the rest of the group, and Minra, Suprine, and two of Suprine's henchmen in tow. General Cracken had left instructions for the team, and Ravon brought them up on the datapad before Ahsoka and the small group departed the larger ship on the smaller shuttle. Right away, the ship started malfunctioning, and Ahsoka was immediately put to work trying to get it right again. Suprine had brought a gift for High Command of fruits that had been smuggled in, thinking they probably didn't get too many fresh fruit these days, which was probably true, as a bit of a peace offering. While they were fighting for the same cause, they weren't always on the same side, and Suprine was beginning to believe that it was time to remedy that, and he had the means to help them achieve their goal. Ahsoka was still foggy on the details, but she was beginning to learn that the less you knew, the safer it made you or more importantly, the Alliance.

They arrived at the fleet, greeted by General Cracken who led Suprine, Minra and the others to another location, leaving Ahsoka alone with the ship. She was told that she would be given a new assignment shortly and to feel free to make any repairs to her current ship that she liked. She got the feeling that she and this ship might be stuck together for the time being. 'Well, let's see what makes you tick' she thought to herself.

After some time, she heard a cough and then saw General Rieekan standing in the hanger trying to get her attention. She had been too engrossed in her work, she hadn't even realized he was there. "Commander Tano, a word please."

"Yes, General?" She said as she hopped down from the stool where she had been working.

"General Cracken asked me to speak with you. We'd like it if you stayed on the Redemption for the time being. Your quarters have been kept for you, and we can find ways to keep you busy. You can keep your ship here on hanger. It's basically a medical facility, with some offices and residences, many of High Command end up in various capacities here for various reasons. I'm actually assigned on another ship, for instance. We may occasionally send you elsewhere in the fleet, for various jobs and the like, but as it stands, this will be your assigned post. I'd also like to make it official, and as of right now, my calling you Commander Tano is not just out of nostalgia, congratulations, Commander Tano." General Rieekan shook Ahsoka's greasy hand, she laughed, he laughed, and she went and got a rag to wipe it off. "It's quite all right, really, I manage a lot of the pilots here in the fleet, and you would not believe how often that happens."

"Oh, I can believe it." Ahsoka stated with a grin.

As General Rieekan and Ahsoka were standing and chatting, they were joined soon by Princess Leia who greeted them with a smile. "General Rieekan. Ahsoka, it's good to have you back."

"Princess." General Rieekan said. "Ladies, I'm afraid duty calls. If you will excuse me, I need to get back to post. Congratulations again, Commander."

"Commander, so now it's official. Do you have your next assignment yet?" Leia spoke.

"No, they want me to stay on this ship for now. I've been making modifications to this ship in the meantime." Ahsoka said still wiping grease off her hands.

"Well, if you like, you can join me for dinner. I was just heading there. You might want to clean up first though." Leia laughed giving her a look up and down. "I'm meeting Luke."

"I met him looking for you before my mission. I'm not sure our meeting went very well." Ahsoka explained.

"He told me. You have to be patient with him. He's a very kind and thoughtful person, he wasn't trying to be rude, he just, he's different. He needs time. We all have to be patient with him." Leia said as she followed Ahsoka onto the ship. "I'm heading off on a diplomatic mission myself. I thought I would check on him before I left. I hate to leave him, but my duty is important and I need to make up for lost time."

They started down the ramp when Ahsoka stopped and said. "Hold on, I almost forgot." She went back into the ship and came out with some fruit. "Something a little extra from my last mission." She smiled.

"I was starting to miss real food again. That will be a treat." Leia smiled.

"Well, when I first got here, you fed me real food, I thought I might as well return the favor." Ahsoka laughed.

"That was probably more Chewie than me, but I'll take it. I do miss Chewie's cooking. We are back to nutrition pouches and ration bars again, I'm afraid." Leia explained.

They got to the cafeteria and Luke was there waiting for them. He stood up, shook Ahsoka's hand and said, "Nice to see you again, about the other day..."

"It's fine. Good to see you, Luke." Ahsoka said as she put the fruit on the table, eyes from the other table stared. "Maybe it wasn't a good idea bringing it here. My last passengers brought a crate of them to share with High Command."

"It's just so rare we get fruit here." Leia explained. "Maybe we should put it away."

Ahsoka put it back into her bag, and Luke said, "Meet me at my quarters after, and we can have it there. I want to talk to you anyway, Ahsoka."

"OK, you got it." Ahsoka said smiling.

After they ate, and everyone got caught up with the Alliance gossip, the three of them went to Luke's quarters. Artoo was waiting there, Threepio was elsewhere with what he called "Important duties from High Command." which he was taking very seriously. Artoo beeped with glee with Ahsoka's arrival, and it amused Luke and Leia. "I can't believe he is so excited to see you!" Luke smiled and patted his droid friend.

"Artoo and I go way back, we..." Ahsoka caught herself, she didn't want to say too much. "I worked for Leia's father in the early days of the rebellion and Artoo was a big help." She couldn't go into the fact that Artoo had gotten her out of many jams during her time in the Clone Wars, nor how excited he had been to see her again on the Alderaanian ship when she first went to work as Fulcrum." Artoo just beeped. It was amazing to Ahsoka that Artoo knew exactly what to say and what to keep quiet. "How long has he been with you now?"

"Three years. My uncle got him by chance from some Jawas on Tatooine. He kept saying he had a message for Obi-Wan Kenobi and had to find him. Leia sent that message. He's been with me since wouldn't believe how amazing this droid is. I think of him as a person." Luke said stroking his chrome dome. Artoo beeped.

"I believe it. I really do. Artoo is very special." Ahsoka laughed.

They shared the fruit a while and just talked about trivial stuff, Leia shared a funny story she heard on the Remembrance, the ship she was currently assigned to. Ahsoka didn't want to get too much into her secret assignments, but she told a few stories she knew that she was able to tell, about some strange worlds and things she had seen. She was surprised to hear that Luke had never left his home planet until just three years ago. Ahsoka started talking about her current clunky ship and how she was in the process of fixing it, and Luke said it reminded him of the Millennium Falcon, and he and Leia got really quiet for a bit, and then Ahsoka put it on her mental reminders of topics not to bring up. After a few more laughs, Leia got a comm to report back to her ship, gave her hugs and departed. Luke got quiet for a bit, and after she had been gone for a few minutes spoke up.

"I saw you again, when I was meditating."

Ahsoka got nervous, "I hope it wasn't bad."

"No, not this time. It was Ben. Did you know Ben Kenobi? I mean Obi-Wan?" Luke said.

"Um, well." Ahsoka didn't know if she should really tell him she did.

"He talks to me, sometimes. I saw him a lot on..." Luke paused, he wasn't sure he should tell her this. "Where I was training."

"Training?" Ahsoka asked. "Was someone training you? Did he have a red lightsaber?"

Luke stiffened up. Jolted by her mentioning a red lightsaber. "Ah, no." Luke turned away.

"What did Obi-Wan say?" Ahsoka asked a bit worried.

"He said, Yoda. He said tell Ahsoka to go to Yoda." Luke explained. "Does that mean something to you?"

Ahsoka thought a moment. "Yoda is probably dead by now. How can I go to Yoda?"

Luke sat there a moment, closed his eyes and meditated a bit. Ahsoka recognized that position. Luke had been trained in some way by someone. Luke came out of it a moment or two later. "Yoda was alive the last time I saw him. You knew him?"

"I did. Master Yoda?" She shook her head. "I don't believe it." Ahsoka was quiet. How did Luke find him, or did he just see him in visions? How could he see him in visions though if he never met him? What was going on here? Had Master Yoda been alive all this time?

"I know where he is. It's hard to find. I promised him that I would return, but I'm not ready. I was there after the battle of Hoth, with Yoda. Ben told me to go. I saw him in the snow on Hoth. I honestly have been trying not to think about Ben, uh, Obi-Wan Kenobi, sorry, I think of him as Ben. See, they told me not to leave, and I didn't listen. I should have listened." Luke said.

"Try not to be so hard on yourself. It could have been as the Force willed it. Can I ask you something?" Ahsoka asked. "What happened to your hand?"

Luke turned and stared at his mechanical hand. He couldn't answer, he was quiet, thinking of the pain of actually losing his hand wasn't as bad as the pain of losing his father. Darth Vader telling him what he told him in Cloud City. Growing up, he had in his mind who his father was, what he was, and later when Ben Kenobi told him he was really a Jedi, it made him so proud. Then, the meeting with Darth Vader. Was Darth Vader really his father? He couldn't wrap his mind around it. He felt all kinds of mixed feelings. That was why he fought the images of Ben Kenobi. Did Kenobi lie to him? Did Yoda? Was he being trained to kill his own father? He was so confused. He just said, "Vader."

Ahsoka gasped. She didn't know what to say. She got really quiet. It was a lot to take in.

She said, "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. ..." She got quiet again. Change the subject, change the subject. Did Darth Vader know who Luke was? He almost killed her some years before, but would he injure his own son if he knew?

"I haven't told too many people. There's more, but I can't talk about it." Luke said quietly.

"I understand. Really. More than you know." Ahsoka put her hand on Luke's shoulder.

"I'm not sure you do." Luke replied.

"Yoda really was alive?" Ahsoka said, trying to change the subject.

"I can help you get there, but I can't go back, not yet."

Ahsoka felt that this was really something she should do, but when?


	5. Surprise Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Ahsoka reunites with an old friend, and has some cathartic moments with Luke.

Cracken had informed Ahsoka that the meeting with Suprine had gone well, and that Admiral Ackbar was sending an envoy and an escort ship on to his flotilla. All seemed pleased at the outcome, but they would need Ahsoka for another mission. She was to go to Galatia system to handle things on the ground. She would take a small freighter, not her own ship, and pick up some medical and food supplies, as part of Suprine's good will. They had been apparently supplying other cells to give aid to communities who were deprived of various basic things because of the tyranny of the Empire. It wasn't Ahsoka's typical assignment, but she knew Suprine and Minra at this point, and that could only be a plus. She had been meeting Luke for meals, chatting a bit more, and she wondered if he would like to accompany her as she could use the help of a co-pilot, plus the time in space would give them a chance to talk and spend some time with one another. Leia had gone on a mission, and many of Luke's other friends who had been part of Rogue Squadron, were located on another ship, and had been busy with maneuvers. Luke accepted the offer, and the both of them were off to Galatia.

Ahsoka was impressed with Luke's prowess as a pilot, it shouldn't have surprised her, the stories she heard about him. It only put it in her head her former master, Anakin, who was a great pilot himself, and wouldn't it be natural for Luke to be, if he was indeed the son of Anakin. Luke's personality, however, was much more calmer than Anakin's. She didn't know what Luke was like prior to his encounter on Bespin, but his manner in the way he carried himself was very different from her master, that is until he got frustrated with something. Artoo had joined them, and it made Ahsoka feel a bit of nostalgia. It was rare she saw old friends, and she considered Artoo to be one.

After they had gotten into hyperspace, Ahsoka took Luke into the lounge and asked him if he would like to try sparring. Luke wasn't sure, the last time he 'sparred' was on Bespin with Vader, but she talked him into it. He didn't have a lightsaber. Ahsoka remedied that by loaning him one of hers. Luke said that most of his work with using a lightsaber was with remotes, but that there had been times where it had come in handy during missions and battles. They sparred a bit, and after some time, Luke got frustrated, and angry. He acted as if he wanted to give up. Ahsoka got him to relax, and Luke told her that it reminded him of Yoda, when he would do the same thing. It was something he needed to work on, and the both of them went into meditation on the ship.

While meditating, Ahsoka got a vision of a very swampy place, vines hanging everywhere, rocks and various creatures. There was a small dome house. When she came out of meditation, she told Luke about it, and he laughed. "You just described Dagobah." He said.

"I didn't see Yoda there though." Ahsoka laughed, she wasn't sure she really wanted to see Master Yoda though. She still had mixed feelings about it. "Luke, do you know how to make a lightsaber?"

"No, I just used the one that Ben gave me, the one that he said was my father's lightsaber. I lost it on Bespin, with my hand." Luke explained sadly.

She thought a moment and said, "Collect little pieces of metal, parts that kind of well, speak to you, you never know what you will need. You will need a kyber crystal at some point, I might know where to get one."

"You mean, make my own? Really? I've seen a few that had been the lightsabers of former Jedi, but I didn't realize that they made their own." Luke replied.

"I helped several younglings make them, and I made these. I would pick up pieces of this or that, keep them in a bag, then when it came time to make one, when I got the crystals, a whole other story for another time, I realized I had what I needed to put these together." Ahsoka explained. She didn't want to go into the Inquisitor who had them, and how the sabers would sing to her. "It will come to you, when you are ready. I might even be able to give you some tips."

"Ben left me some notes. In journals on Tatooine. There might be something in there as well. I had pieces of a broken one. They were on my X-Wing, the one left on Bespin, unfortunately." Luke replied. "It's amazing though how much I have had to learn on my own. Since, well what happened with my hand, I have been having doubts. You told me you weren't a Jedi, but used to be one, what happened?"

"I felt let down, I was blamed for something I didn't do, and those who should have believed in me in the Jedi Order had let me down. I had some support, but I felt betrayed. I left the order, still a padawan." Ahsoka said with great sadness. "It didn't change who I was inside, but I was no longer a Jedi."

"I got the impression that there were a lot of Jedi during the Clone Wars from what Obi-Wan and Yoda had said." Luke noted.

"There were hundreds, a great library, and the temple, oh if you could have only seen the temple. It's gone now." Ahsoka said sadly. "I never went back, it was never safe for me, but I was told by Senator Organa. He had seen part of the siege on the temple first hand."

Artoo beeped in a sad binary tone.

"Ahsoka. I am not sure I want to ask this, but did you know Anakin Skywalker?" Luke asked in a rushed tone.

Ahsoka got quiet, she put her head down, and sat there quietly. It seemed like an eternity, but it was only a minute. She gulped. "I did."

"Tell me about him, please. I need to know what he was like. I have heard a few things from my Uncle and Aunt, they didn't know him well. He visited them once with someone who may have been my mother. I mainly heard stories of grandmother, she and Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru had been close before she died. There have been a few pilots that knew of him, and from Ben, but not really that much. Did you know him well?"

"Luke, I am not sure I should really tell you this. I was his apprentice. He was the kindest man, he called me Snips, he was very caring, and close to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan raised him, was his master. He was very reckless, a little crazy at times, a great pilot, that one I know you must have heard. Could put together anything, fought hard and was very passionate. I loved him. He was like my big brother." Ahsoka eyes started to tear up a bit.

"Do you think he really is my father?" Luke asked.

"I don't know. Maybe. You do kind of look a bit like him." Ahsoka said.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Luke said, not sure he wanted the answer.

Ahsoka tensed up. She couldn't tell him about Malachor, but then, that wasn't her Anakin, that was that monster he had become. She liked to think of him how he was, before. "I saw him when I left the Jedi. He begged me not to leave... Luke, maybe I shouldn't tell you all of this."

Luke sat there. His head was spinning a bit. How could it be possible that the man that Ahsoka was describing be that dark monster? It had to be impossible!

"I'm sorry, Ahsoka. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up." Luke said and he sat there quietly. Obviously Ahsoka had her own issues from the past, and while it did help to hear what she said, it was also mixing things up more in a way as well.

They got to Galatia and a team was waiting there. Heading the team was a well dressed gentleman. As Ahsoka got closer, she began to recognize him, it was Lux Bonteri. She was a bit startled to see him there, they had never said that he would be there as part of the welcoming party. Would he be upset to see her? Would he recognize her? Perhaps Minra had mentioned her? Minra was a Rebel Alliance agent and they usually didn't spill the names of other agents as part of their training. Well, there was only one way to find out. She and Luke walked closer and she saw he lit up with a smile. The last time they had seen each other, many years before, had been a tough one, but at least he could greet her with a smile. That was a good sign right?

"Ahsoka! I was surprised when I was told that it would be you picking up the delivery. Suprine had mentioned your help in persuading him in aiding the Alliance. It's been a great many years. You look great." Lux said with a pleasant demeanor.

"I didn't realize that I would be meeting you, Lux. It's been a long time."

"Twenty some odd years I imagine." Lux replied as he took her hand and kissed it.

"Sure has. This is Luke, Luke, this is Lux Bonteri." Ahsoka felt a bit protective not to give Luke's last name, though by now, it was known throughout the galaxy, she just didn't want a target on his head, even with old friends.

"I was really surprised to hear it would be you collecting the supplies. I will have my men load them on your ship. Please, the both of you come in and join us. It will take a while, I'm sure your astromech can check the shipment for you, while we have a visit." Lux said graciously, with two other gentlemen accompanying him.

They arrived at a dining room, that was located in a large industrial type building. The outside wasn't much, but once you had gotten past the warehouse area, the residence inside was quite grand. Luke looked around in awe, it wasn't often he saw such opulence and he never expected to see something like what he would imagine to be in a palace to be in a large warehouse facility. Lux offered them a seat near the end of a large table, he sitting between them, and he dismissed the men. He wanted for them to leave the room, and then he asked. "How is that you escaped the obliteration of the Jedi? I thought for sure you had been lost."

"How did you escape the end of the Senate, Lux?" Ahsoka answered his question with another question.

"I guess we both are survivors. I had left prior to the dismantling of the Senate. By that time, I had been financing a few of the cells, working with others. We freed the people of this moon, we've been quite successful with keeping the Empire out, so far anyway. There really isn't much here for them to destroy, they already destroyed so much of it in the years prior. It's a good place though to process our findings from other worlds, and then bring them here. I've been distributing it through various smugglers to cells throughout the galaxy. My mining interests have been going well, as I have put them in the name of a trusted assistant. I can never go home though, that is difficult, but I am quite proud of the work I've done, serving my people by providing aid when I am able. Did you learn of Jedha? The Empire decimated a whole city. That was how we lost Saw and most of his group there. I'm not sure the Empire still knows I'm alive, to be honest. Laying low and doing what I can. Suprine tells me that a plan is in place that may change the whole game. That has my ear. I must admit to being a bit of a skeptic, but right now, we can't afford to not take this opportunity." Lux said with both a bit of hesitation and a bit of enthusiasm.

"I can tell something is going down with the High Command, but we are not really privy to most of it." Luke spoke up.

"Neither am I, to be honest, but what they have told me, is enough. I've butted heads often enough with Mon Mothma through the years, but we can't keep going on like we are. If we can cut off the head, the body will die, plain and simple." Lux responded. "I know enough that there is a real chance we can do that. The Alliance has already had a few great victories lately. It made us take notice. It's optimistic. Minra thinks so. She finally came clean she was working for all of us. I can't believe that girl, but maybe I can. She reminds me so much of myself at her age. Fighting for what's right and giving it all to the cause. I just hope she doesn't lose as much as I have. It really is good to see you again, Ahsoka, it's been a very long time." He took her hand.

"It has." Ahsoka replied. "I don't know if you know this, but I am no longer a Jedi. I haven't been one in a very long time."

"Is that how you escaped?" Lux asked.

"No, I'm still considered a threat to the Empire. I just felt I needed to get back into the fight again." Ahsoka told him.

"I really never left. When the Emperor took control, I used my political position as long as I could. I still kept in contact with Saw Gerrera, aided his cell for many years, then got involved with other cells. It was starting to become dangerous for me, so I used many of my financial interests, mining, and the like, to fund groups like, well, Suprine's here. I guess you could call me a bit of an outlaw." Lux explained to Ahsoka.

"That's similar to what I was doing with the rebellion as well. I was more of an agent, spy and recruiter. I only recently rejoined them." Ahsoka told him.

Food was brought to the table. Luke's eyes got wide, they were elaborate dishes, and it wasn't often that he would get to eat anything that wasn't typical rations from the Alliance. Occasional off world foods, things that they would have on the Falcon when Han and Chewie had been able to acquire such things, the dishes on Tatooine were simple. This food looked very rich.

"And so, young man, what has been your role in the rebellion, if you don't mind sharing." Lux asked Luke, who had been listening to the conversation, and staring and contemplating his meal.

"I'm a pilot." Luke said.

"Have you seen any action?" Lux asked while taking a drink from his goblet.

"A bit, I haven't been flying lately, well, to get here, I suppose. I have been in a few battles." Luke told him.

"Luke is being modest." Ahsoka said, and almost mentioned the Death Star, but thought twice about it remembering what Mon Mothma had said. Luke was a target of the Empire in the same way that she had been some years before. "He's one of the best pilots in the Alliance."

Luke was mostly quiet, and felt a bit of an outsider as Lux and Ahsoka made small talk while eating their meal. He was a bit overwhelmed by the food, though it was a treat to have something other than rations, it was almost too rich, and he wasn't sure how to actually eat some of the dishes before him. He would pick at it, and observe Bonteri and Ahsoka. They laughed. As they finished, a messenger arrived informing them that the supplies had been packed onto their ship. Lux walked back to the ship with Ahsoka and Luke, gave Ahsoka a hug and said. "Ahsoka, I do hope we see each other again."

Ahsoka got that little flutter she would get sometimes when with him as a teenager. Had it been that long? She had such the crush on Lux so many years ago. They had started out at odds, but became great friends. She being a Jedi, with the whole 'no attachments', as well as various situations in general, they could never been more than friends. She often thought of him though. She looked at him and flashed a large smile, at a loss for words, she felt so young again. She got her emotions together and called out. "I, um", she paused, "I hope so, too."

She walked on the ship and felt kind of stupid. Was that what she should have said? Should she have said something else? Was she just a love sick teenager again? It made her laugh.

They checked Artoo, and sorted through the shipments. His inventory matched what they could tell from the crates. It seemed to be mainly medical supplies with some foodstuffs, including some fresh fruits, which usually went very fast. Fresh items did not last long, and it wasn't because they were perishable.

"So, um, Ahsoka, you and him?" Luke laughed.

Ahsoka blushed. "Um, no, not really. I did have a huge crush on him though, many years ago."

"I promise not to tease you." Luke smiled. "I think he likes you though."

'Won't tease me, huh, maybe he isn't Skyguy's son after all?' Ahsoka told herself.

They got back to hyperspace, and since they were carrying a full cargo, they had to forgo the sparring exercises on the way back. Luke talked about finding Obi-Wan's journals at his home, and his visits to temples, and his quest to find information on the Jedi. How he had opened the holocron, and mysterious voices he had heard in various places. Ahsoka filled him in on a few places he may not know, and some that no longer exist, or were cut off now due to the Empire. Luke tried to take mental notes.

"So, how long were you with Yoda?" Ahsoka asked him.

"A few weeks, it was hard to tell, but after I came back, I was able to add it up. Most of what he taught me was about getting in touch with the Force. I was still training when I left. I had a vision of my friends in trouble. I couldn't get it out of my mind. I felt I had to go help them, but in the end..." Luke trailed off a bit.

"I know it troubles you. You don't have to go into it." Ahsoka said, "but if you need anyone to talk to, I'm here."

"Ahsoka, can I tell you something? I haven't told anyone this. I'm afraid to tell you. Afraid it will put you in danger. I try to tell Leia, but what would she think of me? What if it's true?" Luke stopped. "Artoo, go to engineering plug in and check the systems?"

Artoo left the cockpit and went to engineering.

"This is hard. It's hard to say out loud." Luke got agitated and angry, stood up and paced. "When I was fighting Vader, he told me something."

Ahsoka put her hand on her mouth.

"You know?" Luke snapped. "Do you know?"

Ahsoka blurted out, "I think so. What did he say?"

Luke started to cry and pound his fist into the seat. Ahsoka wrapped her arm around him. "I'm going to tell you something about me instead, Luke. A few years back, I was on a mission with the rebellion, one of the cells I worked with sometimes, we were fighting and blasting at tie-fighters. One was different and more aggressive than the others. I felt it. A presence I hadn't felt in a long time. It was Darth Vader, Luke. I knew, or thought I knew then. Then later I fought him. He knew who I was, I knew who he was, and who he used to be."

They just sat and hugged each other for a while, listening to the hum of the engines.

They had to deliver some of the supplies to the Liberty, where those who had been part of the old Rogue Squadron had been based, and Luke introduced Ahsoka to some of the guys there. There was a broken X-Wing that Ahsoka had to get involved with, as well as giving Luke a chance to visit with some friends on their home turf.

"Luke, you coming back to join us again?" Wes asked.

"Nah, just dropping off some food. Might get something other than rations if you guys are lucky. Miss you guys though, I just got some flying in, felt good." Luke told them.

"Good to hear, Luke. We have some of your things here if you want to take them back to the Redemption with you." Wedge said, "Hang on, let me go dig it out for you."

Luke looked in the box and there were a few spare parts, the broken lightsaber, Ben's journal, some things he collected from missions and a few other things he held on to. A couple of the things he thought had been on his X-Wing, but that had been left on Cloud City. "I swear some of this was in my X-Wing, how?"

"Don't know. Ask Rieekan. He kept the box." Wedge told him.

Hobbie yelled out. "We're keeping Ahsoka here! I've been working on this thing for a week, and she fixed it just like that."

Ahsoka came out laughing, grease on her nose and oil on her hands. "What can I say? You'll have to ask High Command to transfer me."

They were soon joined by General Rieekan, who was a bit surprised to see Ahsoka again covered in grease, and he let out a laugh. "Seems like you might be more of use over here, Commander Tano, we could use a good mechanic."

The pilots all patted her on the back. Ahsoka just shrugged.

"General Rieekan. How did you get all this stuff? I mean, I know this journal was on my X-Wing." Luke asked.

"Cracken's got people everywhere, Luke, he had someone clear out your X-Wing and the computer before the Empire got it, might want to ask him. Sorry, I hadn't had the chance to bring it over to you. I just kept forgetting every time I headed to the Redemption. Might as well take it now." Rieekan replied.

It just puzzled Luke more, if they had someone there, then why? Um, well, I'm sure there was an explanation for it.

Shortly after returning back to the Redemption, getting a chance to rest and have the rest of the cargo unloaded, they both were called to General Cracken for a debriefing. They filled him in on the meeting with Lux Bonteri, which went rather smoothly. After the debriefing, Luke asked General Cracken about the items from his X-Wing, he said, "Calrissian has a man still there, he took care of it. I got an agent in touch with him, and we got it for you. Sent some of Calrissian's clothes as well. Too late though for him to get it. How many capes does a man need?"

"Well, thank you." Luke responded.

"I want you to know, Luke, I got someone on Tatooine right now watching for that ship you're looking for. We will let you know when we find it." Cracken said as he put his hand on Luke's shoulder.

"I appreciate that. Thank you."

"Dismissed, Commander Skywalker. Uh, Commander Tano, a word please. Sit down." General Cracken motioned to the chair.

"Yes, General?" Ahsoka replied.

"How would you like to take a trip to Tatooine?" General Cracken said with a smile.


	6. Tatooine

Although her mission to Tatooine would be classified, Ahsoka thought to ask Luke a bit about the planet as he knew it. So, she would just make it seem as if she was just interested, and not actually going there. What could it hurt? It had only been a couple of years since he had been there, and she had been there many years before. She just wasn't that familiar with the planet, and she wanted an idea about where Obi-Wan's home might have been. Her mission included meeting with operatives of General Cracken's intelligence force, as well as bringing back an individual who had previously been an officer in the Empire who was now seeking refuge. Apparently this individual had defected from another planet, and eventually had gotten to a safe house on Tatooine. She would be getting more details from Cracken, but she had some time and decided instead of meeting Luke at the usual meal time, she would meet him a bit earlier to chat and go over a few things. She hadn't seen him much since the trip to Galatia, as the Alliance had starting giving Luke a few assignments, and she didn't know how long it would be before she returned.

Ahsoka hadn't mentioned to Mon Mothma about talking to Luke about her involvement with Masters Obi-Wan and Anakin, but it seemed to help them both. Luke seemed more at ease to have someone to talk about it with, and Ahsoka had never been able to have anyone really that might understand either, especially with the new development that Obi-Wan and Yoda had been alive for so many years. It did explain why when she had the vision of Master Obi-Wan, that he was much older than she had remembered him. She swore he called to her a few times since, but it was never anything more than just calling her name. Then she had the vision, or dream about the place that Luke said had described Dagobah.

She started to work into the conversation of Luke's childhood, Obi-Wan Kenobi's home on Tatooine, and basic things about his home planet. Luke had told her that Anchorhead was the closest town to where he lived, if you could even call it a town, and some of the bigger towns were Mos Eisley and Mos Espa in the general region. He didn't seem to sentimental about the place, but it was obvious he missed his foster parents. Ahsoka's meeting would be in Mos Eisley, but General Cracken thought she should check in on Chewbacca as well while she was there, not only because she knew him, but Cracken found him useful as an agent and in exchange, was able to get information for the Wookiee that might be of help in rescuing his friend, Han Solo.

In her chats with Luke, she got a good idea of where Obi-Wan Kenobi had lived, and thought that perhaps a trip there to his former home, after all she might as well if she was going to be in the general area, might be of some comfort, or closure, or something. She really couldn't pin down why she felt the need to find the place. She just wanted to. There was minimal Imperial activity on planet, but enough to allow for caution, the planet itself was primarily in control of criminal organizations, such as the one overseen by Jabba the Hutt. Pirates, bounty hunters, and shady individuals would be the largest threats. She certainly had her share of that in her life, and she recalled most of her memories of Tatooine involved dragging a baby huttlet through the desert with her old master to Jabba's palace, and some fighting against some 'stick tinnies' in her early days as a padawan. If she ran into Jabba, perhaps he'd remember that she was the one who had saved Stinky, or was it really Rotta, her memories were a bit fuzzy on that smelly little guy.

She met with General Cracken prior to her trip. He started to go over what he expected from her during the mission. "Commander, you will need to verify facial identification as well as hand prints of the cargo. He's been vetted, and has been in a safe house for some time, but we take no chances. Lately, our security has had to be really tight. Our coordinates may have changed on your return journey, so you may need to contact the safe channels for new coordinates. You will also deliver this data chip to our operative. They will give you a package in return. Your details of contact will be in the datapad I have given you. Also, one more thing, you may want to get in touch with Chewbacca prior to contacting the operative. His location will be noted in your itinerary. This package has material for him." The General sighed and with a grunt said, "You might as well deliver Calrissian's box of clothes as well, that is if Chewbacca hasn't thrown him out already."

Ahsoka gave an uncomfortable laugh and took hold of the box. Cracken continued,"Don't worry, I can get one of my people to take this to your ship, just leave it there, and I will have it there waiting. You should leave tomorrow morning, as there are some pressing matters dealing with most of the Rebel Alliance. I know I shouldn't be doing this, adding more 'personal' things to this mission, but Mon Mothma suggested helping the Princess with her little search and rescue of her, um, boyfriend, but at least I can involve some real Alliance intelligence work in the process. Force knows she's done a lot for us, and has lost so much. Really don't see what she sees in the guy myself, but well, what can you do?" Cracken laughs. "You should have seen her punch him this one time, well, you would never guess someone so little...Anyway, Chewbacca's been good with his end and I'm sure it's helped our agents already there to have his help. When they can understand him that is."

"I wasn't aware Princess Leia even had a boyfriend." Ahsoka responded a bit unsure of General Cracken's tone, which in general amused her and intimidated her at the same time.

"I don't think she was aware either, to be honest. Had my money on Skywalker. I really probably shouldn't go into that, but if you had been around for a while, you would have known about it. Anyway, I have people on Tatooine, and it's one of those places where exchanges can be made without a lot of hassle. I'd suggest landing in the docking port, I will get you a code name to use, but there are a lot of out of the way places to land, if you have any trouble. Get a speeder if you can, there will be some credits to use for things you will need, just try not to travel by night. Have you been to Tatooine before, Tano?"

"I have, but it's been some years, Sir."

"The sand people can be a bit of a challenge, I know you are great at handling yourself, but it's best to be cautious with them. Well, that's about it for now, Tano, you leave in the morning. I will have everything you need already on your ship, you can check everything before you leave, and I will have someone there to see you off, I'll try to be there myself if I'm able. Dismissed."

Ahsoka took the datapad back to her quarters and thought to visit Luke Skywalker one last time before she left. She still never told him she was going to Tatooine, and wasn't sure she should, but with tension building in the flotilla over whatever was in the works, she wasn't sure exactly when she would see him again. She had heard from one of the guys in the hanger that Luke had changed quite a bit since his time at Hoth. That he had been optimistic, brave, sometimes naive, and fun loving fellow, but that had changed since his disappearance. She knew now why that was. She was aware that he was getting some counseling, part of why he stayed on the Redemption so much, but she was sure that she was the only one who really knew his secret. She only hoped that he being able to share that with her would be of some help. It was a tough thing to go through alone, and here she was leaving him, and going to his own home planet. When she got to his quarters, he opened the door, Artoo greeted her, there was no Threepio as Luke had told her that he was currently working with Leia.

"I wanted to come visit before I went on my latest mission. Didn't know when I would be back, and I just wanted to make sure you were all right." Ahsoka told him as she polished a smudge on Artoo's chrome.

"I'm actually heading out myself. Appreciate you checking in on me. I guess I am doing all right. I'm meeting Leia on Zagtiga. She had a run-in with Imperials, got real bad with one of the ships. She's OK though, really shaken up. There's something going on there, they want a bunch of us to escort some of the top brass for some kind of meeting. It will be good to see her though." Luke said quietly.

"I heard some chatter about that myself. I sense a lot of tension and excitement, but I really don't know what's going on either. I'm glad you will get to see Leia, I know you two are good friends."

Luke replied, "I worry about her, too. I know she is hiding things from me, then she buries herself in her work. She will start to talk about things, then change the subject, make it about her duty. Drives everyone crazy sometimes. You should really see her when she gets angry, or maybe not. I know she cares, but she pretends she doesn't sometimes."

"Mon Mothma said she worries about her as well, about how she rarely has fun."

"She works a lot. I'm not sure about fun, sometimes we get together with a bunch of the guys, she would join us sometimes. When it was the Rogues, they often would act different when she was there, because of who she is I guess. Technically, she is their superior officer. She's my age though, young, you would think she would want to have some fun. We played cards a few times in the Falcon, Chewie would make dinner, then she and Han would have a fighting match and she takes off fuming. Maybe she doesn't know how to have fun. I've tried to get her to do a few things, she makes excuses sometimes, even when she doesn't have work. She was raised a princess and lost her whole world, I imagine that has a lot to do with it, but some of it is just her. She's so stubborn, determined and serious." Luke exclaimed.

Ahsoka thought a moment. "I had a nice time with her when she was here. Seemed rather annoyed at that Lando guy. Anyway Luke, if you have some time, I wondered if we might talk a bit. I want to try something, move closer to your cot. Close your eyes."

Luke stood there, closed his eyes. Opened them for a moment. Closed them again.

"You don't trust me?" Ahsoka then pushed him hard onto the cot using only the Force.

"Hey!" Luke laughed then got back up.

"Sometimes you don't need a lightsaber to fight back. Just don't be as gentle as I was. Remember that, it might come in handy, now that you don't have one."

"You call that gentle? Ouch."

Ahsoka checked her engines and did some last minute tweaking on the ship. General Cracken himself came to give her the last minute details, and the codes for the safe channel, so she could make contact after she completed her mission. Once she hit hyperspace, she nodded off and had the dream about Dagobah again. It was peaceful and calm, and she only had warm feelings. She woke up the alarms. Something had gone wrong with the hyperdrive, and she had to check it out. She brought the ship out of hyperspace, after checking the coordinates, and when it seemed to be a pretty quiet part of space, she worked her magic and got it going again. She was able to get it back going and into hyperspace again, putting her back on the projected path, then she was on her way again. This ship really was a work in progress.

Landing on Tatooine wasn't much of a problem, as long as you had credits. The landing fee paid, she docked in Mos Eisley, and went in search of a speeder. The trader, a Garindan, tried to swindle her, believing her to be a posh ignorant tourist of some sort and tried to get her to pay three times the value of the speeder. After a long argument, she decided she had had enough, and used the Force to get him to agree to a fairer price.

The speeder was small, just a one seat, open machine with two handles, much like a bike. It would offer no protection from the sun, but she did bring a tunic to cover her head and montrals to keep the hot sun off of her. She had the items she needed stowed in a compartment under the seat, and Lando's box of clothes had to be tied behind her. There wasn't a lot of room, but it did give her some back support. The location of the Falcon was an hour ride, so she made sure she had plenty of water, she had packed some on the ship before the trip, and anything else she might need depending on how long she would need to stay out there. Cracken had provided her with a blaster, though she was sure she wouldn't need one, but you never knew when one would come in handy.

She could see the Falcon on the horizon, exactly where Cracken's notes had said it would be, and after being in the desert, it was a welcoming sight. The noise of the speeder had caught Chewbacca's attention, and he came bounding out down the ramp, arms open, roaring a greeting. Ahsoka ran up to hug him and followed him into the ship. The interior was much cooler, just being out of the sun I suppose was enough, Chewbacca turned off many of the ships support functions to save valuable fuel cells. Ahsoka brought up Lando's clothes, and the package specifically intended for Chewbacca. Chewbacca roared. Chewbacca was keeping busy with his own top secret mission, as well as the search for his friend it seemed. The package contained a few materials he needed. Chewbacca also had a speeder, that was larger than the one that Ahsoka was using, and had been taking trips back and forth to Mos Espa. An agent there had also giving Chewbacca information on the Slave I, a ship that belonged to the bounty hunter, Boba Fett. Chewbacca explained that Lando was trying to secure a job in Jabba's palace, as Jabba did not know Lando, and may not suspect his association with Han Solo, who apparently was still frozen in carbonite and hanging on Jabba's wall. It took everything he had not to go in there and take care of Jabba himself, but he realized the best chance they all had was to wait and organize a well thought out plan. Lando working in Jabba's palace would be part of that plan. Chewbacca roared.

"You want me to go to Mos Espa with you? Um, sure, I don't have to meet my contact yet, I can join you."

Chewbacca roared.

After a little freshening up and a cold drink, Ahsoka and Chewbacca headed for Mos Espa. Mos Espa was a bit more quieter than Mos Eisley, where Ahsoka had first arrived, and was lined with vendors and houses, families and small children. Chewbacca stopped in front of a cafe, walked around to the back door and knocked. An old man answered the door gruffly, waved his hand in a give me pose and Chewbacca placed an item into his palm, without saying a word.

Then he caught Ahsoka in the corner of his eye and growled. "Who are you? Wookiee, who did you bring with you?"

Chewbacca pulled something out of his bag, indicating the Rebel Alliance symbol, and the man said. "You come in, be quiet." as he looked back and forth.

Ahsoka looked at the bare clay walls at what obviously was the back of a store of some sort. The man grunted. "I had to be sure. I can't understand Wookiee, can you understand me?"

Ahsoka shook her head and said, "Yes, I understand you."

"They send this Wookiee, no one else, I can't understand him. He passes the information. He's all right I guess." Chewbacca then roars with a bit of offense, as the man continues, "But when I first met him, how was I to know he was my agent. Anyway, I'm glad I got you now. Nice to be able to talk to someone, someone who might know what's going on. Furry carpet here, nice enough guy, but can't understand him, seems to understand me though."

"Oh, believe me, he understands you." Ahsoka replied a bit wary of the old man. "You got a problem with wookiees?"

Chewbacca roars.

"Um, no, like I said, I got no problem with the wookiee, just the whole talking thing."

"His name is Chewbacca, by the way. What is it that you do here?" Ahsoka asked.

"I send encrypted messages for the rebellion. I don't know where they go, or who they are for, but they go out. Then I collect other encrypted messages and pass them on. The wookiee, um I mean, Chewbacca, has been my contact the past three times. Usually it's a different individual each time, but you're new and you came with him. That's what puzzled me."

"I had some business of my own with Chewbacca is all. He asked me to come with him, I imagine because you didn't understand him." Ahsoka explained.

"And you do? I didn't even know they talked. It all sounds the same to me."

Chewbacca folded his arms across his chest and growled.

"Well, now you know. I imagine it was frustrating for him as well. Anyway. I will let you get to it." Ashoka said as she started out the door.

She and Chewie got back to the speeder, the man gave Chewie another data chip to pass on, and Ahsoka just shook her head and cried out in annoyance. "The nerve of that guy."

Chewie shrugged and then growled.

They picked up some food at a vendor for the ride home and Ahsoka caught up Chewie on the news from the flotilla, about how she had been spending time with Luke and what Leia was up to and anything else Chewie was curious about. Chewie was a bit worried that Princess Leia had been attacked by the Empire, but Ahsoka assured him that they were doing a good job of protecting her and that she was fine the last time she heard about her. He told her that he would get messages from Cracken, but he couldn't ask questions because they didn't understand him. Ahsoka just gave him a hug and wondered how frustrating that had to be for him.

They got back to the ship, and Lando had arrived. He was very grateful for his clothes, and explained that his man, Lobot, was still in Cloud City and he had found a way for him to get some stuff from Cloud City through General Cracken's people, including some items that had belonged to Luke. Lando offered to make dinner, and they insisted that Ahsoka stay the night. It wasn't wise to go into the desert at night, even if you were a former Jedi who had two light sabers. Ahsoka was sure she could handle herself, but she didn't want to worry Chewbacca and it was a free place to sleep with friendly faces. She couldn't say no. They chatted for a while, Lando was working on a plan to get work at Jabba's palace, and had a few contacts. It was taking some time, but he was close to being trusted by a few who already worked there.

In the morning, she said her goodbyes, took Chewie's chip to take back to Alliance intelligence and decided to go search for Obi-Wan's old homestead.

It was partially covered in sand, and she wasn't really sure it was the right place. Once she dug her way in, she found it a bit of a mess. Whoever had lived here, lived simply and she sat and meditated. It was then she was positive this had been Obi-Wan's home. She felt him meditating himself in this very room. She didn't get any insight into Obi-Wan's existence while he lived here, but somehow it made her feel closer to him for some reason. She knew that she still struggled with some resentment towards her betrayal from the Jedi, but it helped her to remember that Obi-Wan had been someone important to her. She was feeling better about the idea of trying to find Dagobah herself.

She left Obi-Wan's home, or what was left of it, she sensed danger. A loud noise was growing closer, and the ground rumbled. She ducked behind some of the rock formations and peered out to see a herd of banthas running. Following them, were banthas being ridden by strange looking creatures she remembered from the notes as being Tuskin raiders. As she was watching, she had a weird feeling. She turned around and one was standing right behind her, holding a staff and ready to charge. She pushed him back with the Force, and two more came out. She pushed them back as well, then got out her light sabers, she flipped back and over the rocks to her speeder, as they came closer and closer charging towards her. She was able to cut one of the staffs with her lightsaber, and push them back far enough to ride off in her speeder. They chased her only a short distance before returning to their herds. Hoping she had lost them, she headed back to Mos Eisley.

To get in touch with her contact, she was to go to a food vender and ask for a nerf steak cooked well. The vendor would tell her that she was crazy, and to go back to wherever she came from. Shortly after, a female Torgorian arrived and offered her some Jogan fruit. That was the signal that she was to follow them. She followed her to the street, then down a set of stairs leading to the back of a residence building. They she turned a corner and went into a door. The door was left ajar. Ahsoka went in and the Torgorian was gone, but the room was empty. There was a lone chair, and Ahsoka sat down. The wall opened and a Twi'lek, the same Twi'lek that had first brought her to the Rebel Alliance arrived with a human man in simple robes. The Twi'lek handed her a package and said, "This is your cargo.", and pointed to the man then said, "Say nothing and go."

Ahsoka and the man made their way back to Ahsoka's ship. Nothing was said on the way to the ship, but she had a strange feeling about the whole thing. They both got on board. Ahsoka told the man, "Strap yourself in." And took the first jump on the coordinates. She would get the updates after they made the first jump. After they got to hyperspace, Ahsoka could tell something was very wrong. She didn't have to turn around to know it either. Whoever was on her ship, was pointing a blaster at her. She unstrapped, reached for her lightsaber very calmly, and started to turn.

"Don't turn around, Torgruta!" A voice called out.

Ahsoka thought quickly. She relaxed then using the Force pushed the man back in his seat. The jolt caused the blaster to fall to the floor. Ahsoka then leaped up standing on the cockpit chair, "What do you mean, don't turn around. Her lightsaber turned on and began to flicker in the man's face. "Who are you? You obviously aren't an Imperial that wants to join the Alliance!"

The man slipped down to the ground, grabbed his weapon from the floor, and ran towards the back compartment. Ahsoka ran back towards him. He blasted towards Ahsoka, but she diverted his blast, knocking it towards one of the panels. She reached out with the Force and pulled the blaster from his hand and pushed him down with the Force. "What are you? What exactly are you!" He called.

"I'm your worst nightmare! Now talk!", she said with a lightsaber pointed into his face as he was hunched down in a corner. He just was curled there, barely able to talk, shocked by the unexpected actions of Ahsoka. "I said talk! Who are you with? The Empire? Bounty Hunters? How did you get through Rebel Intelligence!"

"I was paid. I was supposed to look for the bounty hunter's ship then infiltrate the rebels looking for it. Another bounty hunter is paying me. I don't know who he is working for." The man explained.

"What bounty hunter ship?"

"Boba Fett's. I was paid to watch for Boba Fett's ship and watch for any rebels looking for it. Pretend to be someone wanting to join. Then contact them."

"How? How do you contact them? You're on my ship! You aren't very good at this are you?" Ahsoka raged.

"Oh, sister, you don't know how good I am."

"We're in hyperspace, who are you going to call?" She pushed him, he pressed a button.

"What did you just push? WHAT DID YOU JUST PUSH!" Ahsoka yelled as she pushed him towards the airlock. Opened it up. He screamed, she opened the release and he went out into space, and she just missed the explosion. Alarms went off on the ship. "Great, just great." She sarcastically exclaimed.

She checked her instruments and she received some damage on the outside of the ship. When she got out of hyperspace, she knew making another jump would be risky, but maybe it if wasn't too far, she could make it. She looked at the charts. 'What is close, what is close enough to make another jump.', she thought. Galatia. She could get to Galatia in one short jump, and she had ties to the planet. It would have to do. Still unsettled by the so called 'Imperial defector' and his death, she called the safe channel and got in contact with Cracken's office. They would send word to Suprine's people on Galatia and to have someone meet her there, or to aid her if she got stuck in space. She had a lot of questions. How did someone get through all those channels to get to rebel intelligence, and who else was looking for that bounty hunter's ship, and why? She realized she made a mistake not checking his hand and facial recognition on the data pad, if it would have mattered.

She arrived in Galatia and a representative escorted her inside and arranged for repairs to be made to her ship. Waiting inside was Lux Bonteri. "Ah, Ahsoka, I didn't think I would see you again so soon."

Ahsoka felt a little self conscious, not having been able to wash or change after her adventures. Usually that kind of thing didn't bother her, but there was just something about seeing Lux that made her feel she wasn't presentable. He took her hand and and brought her inside the warehouse, to his extravagant apartments. This time, it was to a lounge area, with beautiful couches and paintings from around the galaxy. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Oh yes, please.", she replied.

"They are sending someone from your base. Suprine has been quite cooperative with your group, and the plans are proceeding nicely. I'm actually glad you're here. I've brought it up with your intelligence officer, and he has agreed to meet with me, but I thought we could have the chance to talk before your colleague arrived. I would like you very much involved with my visit with your High Command." Lux explained handing her the drink.

"It really depends on what my orders are, but we might be able to work something out." Ahsoka said.

"In the meantime, you will stay while they are fixing your ship? I would love to have the chance to spend some time with you."

Ahsoka's stomach began to flutter.

It wasn't long before an X-Wing arrived carrying Luke Skywalker and Artoo. He was announced and Ahsoka excused herself while she went out to greet him and to get the items for General Cracken out of the ship. She removed them from the safe, gave them to Luke, and sat and chatted with him a bit.

"Luke, I saw Chewbacca! He told me to give you a hug." Ahsoka told him, and hugged him.

"You saw Chewbacca? How?"

"I did, I had a mission on Tatooine. I couldn't tell you before, but that was why I asked you those all those questions. Lando is trying to get into Jabba's palace, he believes your friend in there now, still in carbonite. There's another thing. I think someone else may be looking for that bounty hunter's ship, and also the rebels looking for it. I hope it's not a trap. I can't give you the details on that, but Luke, be very careful with your rescue mission. Someone tried to kill me because they thought I was looking for it. Oh yeah, I went to Obi-Wan's home, at least I'm pretty sure it was his home. I think I'm ready to go to Dagobah." Ahsoka explained.

"Ahsoka, I can't go back, yet. I'm not ready, and well, there's the thing with Han...Someone tried to kill you?"

"Yes, they did, and as for Dagobah, no, I need to go on my own. I know that now."


	7. New Mysteries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the continued support!

Ahsoka would need to wait until her ship was repaired before embarking anywhere else. Luke, though due back to the Redemption to complete Ahsoka's mission, stayed a bit before returning. He found the time with Ahsoka enlightening, and the fact that she was the one person who understood and could share things about his encounter with Vader. Ahsoka had a grasp on the Force as well, and it helped Luke in his own personal journey, and returning to his own personal training and self education.

The lifeforms on Galatia gave a different environment as well than the ship had, or even Dagobah, and Ahsoka showed Luke a few of her own personal trademark techniques. Luke was starting to feel better about his abilities, and was gaining more confidence. Just the fact he was willing to embrace his abilities at all, was a step in the right direction. So soon after returning from Cloud City, he was beginning to lose the will to continue with his mental state having been what it was. They spent the hours together on various exercises, meditations and just talking, until Luke had to depart alone in his X-Wing.

After Luke left, Ahsoka still had some work that needed doing on her ship. Lux suggested leaving it to some of the team on Galatia, and asked her to accompany him on his own business in another system, Cerea. Part of his financial interests involved farming there, and he kept a home there as well. Since the ship would take a few more days, Ahsoka took Lux up on the offer to visit with her old friend. Ahsoka was surprised that his home on Cerea was very simple, though lovely, compared to the warehouse apartments on Galatia.

"Life in general is simple here, unless you are in one of the cities.", Lux noted. "I like the quiet occasionally. The native Cereans tend to love nature, and little to no technology, though the cities here are the extreme opposite."

Lux suggested taking a walk. It made Ahsoka remember Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, as she encountered many Cerean women in the nearby village. It now made sense why he was allowed to have so many wives. It was almost entirely a female society, with few native men, though there were a number of off worlders like Lux and herself as well. Small shops, services and cafes dotted the street. They found a cafe that Lux swore had some of the best local cuisine, and the older Cerean woman who owned it immediately had come out and visit with Lux and wondered why she hadn't seen much of him lately. He laughed and made some excuse. Ahsoka had never felt so comfortable in a long time. Just going somewhere with a friend and not worrying, was almost unsettling, but it felt good. They both walked to the river, it was beautiful, and they seemed to enjoy each other's company very much.

"The water looks so peaceful. Does anyone swim here?" Ahsoka asked.

"It does look beautiful. Unfortunately, no, swimming would not be the best idea. There are dangerous creatures in these waters. One of the reasons this planet hasn't been considered for being a vacation planet, I imagine." Lux replied.

They walked back, and as they walked, Cereans, many of them women and children, rode past them on large birds and nodded. Although, Lux was an off-worlder, they seemed to be content with his being there. She soon learned the reason why. Lux Bonteri was the benefactor of the local preserve, which was a reclaimed natural habitat that had previously been the victim of off-worlder exploitation. It warmed Ahsoka's heart to see that Lux Bonteri always kept his idealism.

After a day or two of enjoying the countryside, Lux informed Ahsoka that they needed to fly to a different part of the planet to one of the cities. They flew into a docking bay in a large building, which resembled a mountain, and Ahsoka soon learned that the mountain was actually an indoor city, which reminded her a bit of Coruscant, only smaller. Lux hailed a driver to take them to a casino. The city was very dark and dirty and looked like more like the lower levels of Coruscant rather than the upper more posh levels she remembered so well. They walked through the Casino to a lounge area, Lux requested that Ahsoka wait at a table and that she was welcome to order anything she liked, just mention his name, and it would be taken care of, and then Lux left with several humans and non humans to another room. She ordered some food, and waited. As she sat, she sensed something, and it drew her to walk in the adjoining room. A distant conversation. She stealthily made her way along the dark wall, and heard the exchange of coins.

"The bounty on the wookiee is considerable, but what we really need is this fellow. It's almost guaranteed that this man will come looking for his friend. He's who we really need. Capture him, preferably alive, but however you can will make no matter to my benefactor." Said someone with a Coruscant accent. "This comes from the highest level. He does not like to be disappointed. The man we hired previously has gone missing, so understand this is no easy undertaking."

Ahsoka gasped. They must mean Luke and probably the fake former Imperial convert. She needed to contact Luke right away. As she moved back to her table, Lux came rushing out, pulling her up and pushing her to go."We have to move, Go!"

As they ran, they were being chased by a group of armed Nikto men. Lux pulled out his blaster, and started to fire as the Niktos fired back. Ahsoka diverted the blasts with the force. As they ran out into the alleyway, they grabbed a speeder and headed to the docking bay. The Nikto men followed, still firing. Ahsoka took control of the speeder. "Trust me.", she said, as she moved her way through pillars and vehicles. The Niktos followed them, blasters flying, but Ahsoka was able to dodge the blasts and successfully lose them after several twists and turns. Pushing the following speeders with the Force on the brief instances she was able to look back.

"I think we lost them, or at least I hope we did." Lux said, as they arrived at the docking bay, out of breath and a bit relieved.

Quickly they got into the ship, running to the cockpit, Ahsoka took control of the ship. "I guess the vacation is over." She said with a bit of anger.

"I must apologize, my dear friend, I ran into a bit of trouble, nothing I can not handle, but apparently, a deal I made has gone sour.", Lux said calmly, as if this sort of thing happened all the time.

"You think? Explain later. I need to contact Luke, I overheard something while you were making your 'sour deal' that he needs to know. Unfortunately, I have no way to communicate with him on your ship." Ahsoka groaned.

"Head back to Galatia, hopefully we can make it back in time for you to get your message to him. In the meantime, I need to contact my wife.", Lux stated in a very matter of fact manner.

'Wife, of course he has a wife, he has a daughter', Ahsoka thought. It just seemed that in all this time they had been spending together that he might have mentioned her maybe once or twice. Her heart sunk a bit. It wasn't like anything was going to happen between the two of them, but that old flame she always held for him never seemed to go away. It wasn't like their time together was of a romantic nature, and he never led her to believe that it would necessarily go that way. Still, Ahsoka felt some mixed emotions about the whole thing, and wondered what his wife would think about him bringing her to his private retreat on Cerea. She gave him some privacy as she pondered over the events of the day, the bounty hunters and the encounter with the Niktos. Just what exactly was Lux involved with?

They arrived back at Galatia, and though Ahsoka was unable to contact Luke, she was able to contact General Cracken on the safe channel who assured her that he would take her overheard conversation very seriously. She wasn't sure she should bring up the chase with the Niktos, so she didn't. She was relieved to find her ship ready, as she thought that spending anymore time with Lux Bonteri would not exactly be a good idea, as she enjoyed spending time with him a bit too much, and it tended to cloud her judgement. Not to mention that she had enough of her own entanglements being a spy with the Rebel Alliance to involve herself in any of Lux's own dubious involvements, even if they were old friends. She patted the console of her ship, and left Galatia. After making the jump, she meditated to the hum of the engines in space. She wasn't sure where she was going to be headed to, as after the jump, she was to contact the Alliance for her coordinates. When she came out of her meditation, after hearing the alarm telling her that she would soon come out of hyperspace, she put in new coordinates that had come to her during her meditation. Not knowing where she was going exactly, it came to her, she was going to Dagobah, and she would soon be face to face with Master Yoda. Master Yoda whose wisdom often came to mind in the most helpful ways through the years. She felt a feeling of deep calm and peace and no reluctance or conflict this time.

As she approached Dagobah, the ship seemed to be magnetically drawn to it, as if she wasn't flying it at all, and it was being flown by someone else. She reached deep into the Force and felt at one with the Life Force exuding from the planet. 'This is a very powerful place', she told herself as she descended into it's atmosphere. She was able to land on the swampy, dark, jungle planet with little difficulty and felt life energy from the moment she landed. She took nothing with her as she left the ship, walking in a direction that she was not dictating herself, but going as if the Force was willing it. She noticed a small dwelling in the distance, and as she got closer, she noticed a very familiar figure standing, with his hand extended and his eyes closed. As she walked closer, Yoda's eyes opened. He spoke. "Padawan, Ahsoka, at last come you have."

Ahsoka nodded with respect. "Master Yoda.", she took his hand.

He was frail, weak, and yet, still strong. He beckoned her to follow him into his small home saying nothing. Nothing needed to be said. Ahsoka found Yoda's home very tiny and she had to sit to actually be comfortable in it, however, it was still very cozy. She couldn't believe that he had been living here since the end of the Clone Wars. "Ahsoka. So much I have thought of you. Watched you, I have."

"I know, Master. I believe you have come to me once or twice. Guiding me, yet, here you are. Alive.", Ahsoka said.

"Much I have learned, much I have unlearned."

"Master Yoda, you knew? You knew before, what would happen? To the Jedi?", Ahsoka asked.

"Sensed, I did, yet, blind I was."

"It was you who sent us to Malachor?"

"Necessary it was.", Yoda said as he hobbled to his bed to rest. "Young Skywalker. Taken to him you have. Helped him you have. Left us he should not have. Ready he was not."

"He may not be the same person he was when he left you, Master. He had no one to talk to, but it seemed that he could talk to me, and knew I would understand. He has helped me as well, I learned a few things about myself. I have come to some peace." Ahsoka replied.

"Watched you I have, troubled you have been, test after test endured have you. Endured them well you have. Had you finished your training, might not have you been able to survive so well." Yoda laughed and took her hand, "Jedi you are not, but wise you are still. Guided by the Force you are still. Learned much from Ahsoka I have."

"But Master, so many times I felt I had failed you. You have guided me by your wisdom when I would reflect on it more times than I could count."

"Ahsoka, I am so proud of you." Ahsoka heard coming from somewhere she could not see, loud and clear. It was the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Master Kenobi?" Ahsoka asked, barely believing it.

He then appeared as a ghost. "Yes, and I am sure you have many questions. Some we can answer, others we cannot, but I am sure you will understand."

"I do understand, Master. What I don't understand is how you have been able to appear and talk. Shouldn't you have become one with the Force? As part of a greater understanding?" Ahsoka asked.

"Ahsoka, another time, we will both come to you, now is not the time for that. Just know that I am able to talk to you now, and leave it at that." Obi-Wan replied, with Ahsoka nodding, accepting whatever it was that made this possible, the Force was guiding her to trust it.

"Master, I need to ask this, did you know what happened to Anakin? What he became?"

"Indeed, from the very beginning." Obi-Wan's ghost continued, "I felt your confrontation with him in the Force. I'm sorry that you found out that way. It was difficult for me as well. You must know, that I felt myself in part to blame for many years."

"Were you watching Luke? Luke is his son? Truly?"Ahsoka asked.

"Figured that out you did?" Yoda replied closing his eyes.

"Is his mother Senator Amidala?"

"His mother she is. Protected him Obi-Wan did. Watched over him Obi-Wan did."

"I worked with Bail Organa for many years, did he know and not tell me that you both were alive?"

"Senator Organa helped Yoda and myself escape, and aided Padmé, the Emperor is very dangerous, and I'm afraid, there is more. My dear, Ahsoka, you must realize that many things have had to be kept secret. Senator Organa was protecting something very important." Obi-Wan explained.

"Luke?"

"And another, safely kept anonymous. You need to know that Luke himself is not aware of much of this, for his own safety, and also for the safety of this other individual. Neither the Emperor or Vader must be made aware. Did you know of Anakin's and Padmé's relationship? I may have suspected at the time, but refused to confront it, or see it. I made a mistake. I made so many mistakes. It's of my belief that the Force will make it right, and that Luke is our hope."

"Mistakes both we have made." Yoda said sadly.

"This is not why we have asked you to come to us, Ahsoka. Yoda does not have much time. It is important for Luke to return, though Yoda would still be able to communicate with him, it may be a set back in his training if Yoda has left the physical realm before Luke returns. You must encourage him to return, but you too must keep this meeting secret, and all that has transpired."

"I understand, Masters. I did know of their relationship. It was often that Senator Organa would ask me questions, but he never told me these things, however, I know now that perhaps he wanted to know what I knew, or was feeling me out about them. I, however, suspect that Senator Mothma may suspect something, as she has said a few things to make me believe that she is aware of some things, or she herself suspected things, about Luke, or Anakin, and possibly Master Obi-Wan. I believe it was to protect secrets as well. Masters, I believe Darth Vader is aware of Luke's existence." Ahsoka spoke.

"All the more reason to protect these secrets, and if you realize this or not, the fact you did not know about Luke or myself or of Yoda, did protect those secrets when you had your own confrontation, did it not?"

"Yes, I understand., Master Kenobi."

"Difference now it makes not. Confront Vader, young Skywalker will." Yoda stated. "Prepared he will be."

"In partial thanks to you. In the end though, it is amusing to think that it was Anakin himself we have to thank for giving us our hope in the first place. I'm afraid the Emperor had been targeting Anakin for some time, and we never realized it. I know you must know that the Emperor himself is a Sith Lord. By the time we realized it, it was much too late."

"Yes, that I did know, though long after the rise of the Empire. Luke seems very determined right now to rescue his friend, he said he would promise to return after he had done that."Ahsoka noted.

"Let us hope he succeeds and quickly."

Yoda prepared Ahsoka some rootleaf tea, and after eating, she rested. After resting, they both meditated together and a vision came to Ahsoka, of Tatooine, and the person in the vision was the Twi'lek rebel agent with a knife, she was fighting an attacker. Yoda then spoke, "Your vision I watched. Know who the Twi'lek was fighting you do. Do you not?"

"I couldn't see who she was fending off, Master."

"And just why was that? Think, know you do."

Ahsoka began to realize that it was she who was attacking the Twi'lek, but why? "Is this the future, Master."

"Difficult to see. Go you must."

Ahsoka shook her head and realized her time with Master Yoda had come to an end. She knew she would never see him again, at least not as he is now. She took his hand and held it and returned to her ship. She thought about everything that Yoda and Obi-Wan had said to her, some gave her understanding, others more questions, but she knew she would have to help Luke, and that he was in danger. The Twi'lek agent may be a key.


	8. Reflections and Revelations

Ahsoka's return to the Rebel Fleet had been an undertaking. By the time she found them, after several jumps and attempts at contact, she found most of the fleet outside of Kothlis. As she docked her ship, she was pleased to see Princess Leia greet her. Leia was to take her to General Cracken upon her return, however, General Cracken was tied up in important intelligence work. Apparently, most of the Rebel Alliance was bustling with a great many things, most of which right now as classified, and Leia assured Ahsoka that she would be filled in at the appropriate time with things on a need to know basis. The atmosphere was very tense. Leia invited Ahsoka to her quarters so they could catch up a bit, and to go over a few things. General Cracken would comm Leia when he was able to speak with the both of them.

"I've only just recently arrived myself," Leia explained. "I had been involved with my own mission for some time, and only just got back. I haven't even had a chance to talk to General Cracken myself. General Cracken has been helping Luke and myself with our own plan, and we needed to go over a few things in preparation for that. There is something big going down though, and that must take priority. Mon Mothma insists we go through with our personal rescue plan regardless. I'm finding it difficult to allow our own mission to take any precedence over anything as important as the one that the Rebel Alliance is planning, but I'm beginning to get more comfortable and finding that our loyalty to each other is just as important. Otherwise, just what is the point of what we are fighting for in the first place."

"You really want to try to rescue your friend, but you feel guilty about it? I understand that."

"I do, I really do. I also wonder if the risk will be all for nothing. What if he's...uh, dead? It's a bad time go as well, as far as things here are concerned. As for our plan, it's a risky undertaking, but General Cracken has been helping when he can, and Mon Mothma supports it. They are still in the planning stages of their own top secret project, and although the timing isn't right, they have promised to support us and help us if things go wrong." Leia explained, "I feel almost selfish about it. I was wondering, if you could play a small part in that?"

"What would that entail?"

"I'm going to need a ride. Think you might be able to help me out? General Cracken also mentioned that you had some information regarding some possible risks involved based on information you uncovered. He actually suggested you. I'm sure he will fill you in," Leia continued.

"Um, sure," Ahsoka replied. "I just got back here though, give me some time to catch my breath."

"Of course, I'm sorry," Leia apologized and smiled.

"You seem a bit excited, I understand," Ahsoka said and patted her hand.

"Oh, that would be Luke, I asked him to meet me here." Leia said just a couple of minutes before Ahsoka heard a knock on the door.

'That was weird', Ahoska thought, 'she knew he was coming, but I didn't even hear him in the hall. He might have comm'd I suppose.'

"Ahsoka! Great to see you back!"

"Hey Luke, did Cracken give you my message?"

"He did, and we can discuss that later,"answered Luke. "I wanted to talk to you anyway at some point."

"Yeah, me, too. I have some other things to tell you myself," Ahsoka replied.

"Luke, Ahsoka will be taking me to Tatooine! You can go separately in your X-Wing," Leia said excitedly.

"Great, that way I can finish up something else I need to take care of myself, after. I'm sure Chewie will bring you back." Luke said quietly.

"That might be what I need to talk to you about, Luke," Ahsoka said.

"Perhaps," replied Luke without going any further then he changed the subject. "Cracken got your translator device completed, Leia. It's starting to come together."

"What's coming together?" Ahsoka asked.

Together Luke and Leia said, "Our plan!"

Ahsoka sensed something coming from her two friends. It was a feeling, something very strange. A ripple in the Force. She had suspected that Leia was strong in the Force before. However, this time, it was if some of the walls blocking her feelings had somehow dropped. She was sensing more from her. She sensed the bond between Luke and Leia, and it was strong, but not like a master and apprentice. Sometimes you could feel what padawan belonged with what master by their bond. Luke and Leia had a bond, but it wasn't like that. Perhaps because of how powerful Luke was in the Force, and he and Leia were friends they had bonded somehow? She couldn't tell. She just looked at the two of them for a moment. She knew they weren't a couple, as far as she knew, and that Cracken implied as much on a previous conversation. She just looked the both of them up and down, sensing what she could about them. Then stared blankly at Leia's face. They stared back at her as if she was crazy.

"What? Is there something stuck on my face?" Leia said as she tried to brush off her mouth a bit.

Ahsoka laughed,"No! Oh I'm sorry, my mind just drifted a moment. I'm glad your plan is coming together."

"I know it will be hard, and it may not go as planned, but I have a good feeling about it," Leia said, "It will succeed. It has to."

Luke replied, "It will,"and with that Luke grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

Ahsoka stared again at the both of them. She thought a moment and then said, "I never told either of you about the time I met Jabba the Hutt. Remind me to tell you that story."

At that moment, Leia got a comm."It's Cracken, he's ready for us. We should get down there." Ahsoka's Jabba the Hutt story would have to wait.

The three of them made their way to Cracken's office together. "Oh good, have a seat. First of all, Commander Tano, please stay after, I need a debriefing." Cracken placed a device on the desk. "This will be put inside the mask, when you speak, Leia, it will translate to Ubese. Why not give is a try?"

Leia put the device up to her mouth and spoke softly into it, another language came out. "Remarkable. Thank you, general."

"That was a brilliant idea you had, I hope it works. Commander Tano, I trust these two told you about their plans?"

"Well, sir, not really, but Leia did mention that I might take her to Tatooine?"

"Yes, that's part of it, and more I will fill in later, both have requested leave to take care of this other matter, and I will give you the task of escorting the Princess to the planet. Details will be given to you before you depart. I have been in touch with Chewbacca, and after your message, Tano, I left it at only informing him about the arrival of the Princess. Her Majesty trusts Chewbacca, and in light of recent events, I do as well. You are to deliver her directly to him. You do remember the location of the ship, correct? Well, it's been moved. Details will be given just prior to departure. Skywalker, you will be given the same location. Your X-wing will have to be shielded while on planet. Chewbacca has a speeder you can use for transportation if need be. I am sure you will need some more preparation, but we should do this swiftly. I know that you intend to do this delicately, but keep in mind, if we do not hear from you in a certain amount of time, we will have to infiltrate the facility..uh hum...the Hutt palace..with force. That is really not something we want or can really afford to do, and it could cause a dangerous situation, you may not wish to have happen, and could endanger anyone inside the palace. Princess Leia and Commander Skywalker would be the priority here, you do understand. Chewbacca, Baron Calrissian and Captain Solo are not, they being non-official members of the Rebel Alliance. It would be in your best interests to handle this rescue yourselves. We would do our best, of course, but you must fully understand this." Cracken spoke with a grave seriousness.

"I understand, General," Leia replied, Luke just nodded.

"That being said, I hope you realize I have used as many resources as possible to aid your plan and will provide you with some detonators, ammunition and items such as this device. Please return whatever you don't use and whatever you can. You may all come to me for advisement before you depart, as long as I can make the time. As you are aware, things are quite difficult these days. Good luck, and May the Force Be with You. Commander Tano, stay."

Luke and Leia left together, and Ahsoka sat and waited for the general to speak. "I did get your message about the conversation on Cerea. My agents on Tatooine have been made aware of the situation. I was already debriefed on the situation when you last left Tatooine, and I want to hear all the details from you in person. Why did you not test the hand prints and the facial identification prior to taking the Imperial on board?"

"The agent, the Twi'lek woman, instructed me to take 'the package' and go, sir, to ask no questions," Ahsoka replied.

"I see. That is what the agent informed me was said. Did it not seem odd to you, that it was worded that way?"

"I took her at her word. Now, I am not so sure she is on our side," Ahsoka replied.

"Commander Tano, is there anything to make you say that?"

"Only a feeling, sir," she answered.

"Only a feeling? Interesting. Nothing else seemed suspicious? Not even the way it was worded?"

"No, sir."

"Often, when things are worded in a certain way, it should be a red flag. The fact that you were not to positively identify the individual may have been one of those instances. Surely it should have raised some questions. You were able to prove you could handle the situation well regardless of that, and that looks good for you. I trust in the future that you will be more careful. I will return to this matter at another time. In the meantime, I will give you further instructions while you are on Tatooine, both as part of intelligence and to as a safety issue. Since there has been a threat to the rescue attempt, I will have you dispatched in Mos Eisley after you deliver the Princess. The details will be on the datapad. For now, you are dismissed," the general commanded.

"Yes, sir."

Ahsoka felt somehow she displeased the general in her handling of the situation on Tatooine. She began to wonder more and more if her vision of the Twi'lek woman and the meaning in light of this conversation. What was the general exactly implying? Did she do something wrong? Did she fail in her mission? He was sending her back to Tatooine though for another mission, so it couldn't have gone that bad. Was she supposed to spy on her fellow spies and could they be trusted? As she returned to her temporary quarters, she reached out into the Force to see if she could find answers. Everything however was very cloudy.

Ahsoka got a comm from Luke and she invited him to her quarters. It would be good to have a chance to talk to him privately, especially after having gone to Dagobah, but she wouldn't tell him everything, of course. She understood fully about knowing less than you had to was important, that was something she knew a great deal about between being a Jedi, a commander in the Clone Wars, Fulcrum, etc. For instance, she couldn't tell him there was another that was being protected, whom ever that person was. Nor, could she confirm that Darth Vader had been Anakin Skywalker. She knew he would have to learn that on his own. Truth was, he probably already did know, but was still struggling with the truth. She knew as well that he needed to see Yoda for himself.

"I know it's late, but thanks for seeing me," Luke greeted her.

"Anytime, Luke, glad you came. I've been anxious to talk with you. I went to Dagobah." 'Might as well cut right to it', Ahsoka thought.

"How was it for you?"

"I got some closure, and some peace from it. It was wonderful to see Master Yoda again. There's something you need to know though, Luke," Ahsoka spoke. "Master Yoda is very frail. I'm afraid you will need to go back to Dagobah soon. I believe he has been waiting for you to return. He's afraid when you return, it will be too late. He wants to see you again, very soon. He knows he may be able to come to you regardless, but he feels it's important for you to return."

"I can't go until I do this thing for Han. I know I made Yoda a promise, and I intend to keep it, I just have to help save Han. I can't explain it, but I feel I must do it. Do you know how many times Han has taken a risk for me? He comes off as a person who is only out for himself, or to make money, but he has risked his life more than once for me. I feel I owe it to him. I will see Yoda as soon as it's done, I know I will, I need to make good on my promise." Luke pounded on the wall. "I just have to take care of getting Han back first. I feel it's all my fault."

"Luke, it's not your fault. How can you think that? You weren't the one who did this to him," Ahsoka said as she put her arm around Luke's shoulder.

"I know, but it was a trap for Vader to get to me. I have to do this. Then I can go back, I know I will. I feel it."

She wasn't sure if it was the confirmation of it, but there was something about the way Luke was behaving right now that reminded her of Anakin.

"I was able to talk with Master Obi-Wan as well. I want to go back to Dagobah at some point myself. I felt a powerful energy there. I wondered why Master Yoda would pick such a place to live in exile, but once I got there, I felt it," Ahsoka explained.

"Yes, it's amazing isn't it. It's not a grand place at all, but there is something, anyway, I promised to go back. I just hope I'm not too late. Hey, I've been collecting things. When I leave for Tatooine, I'm going to Ben's old home and work on my lightsaber. I know what to do, it came to me, and I now know I have everything I need to do it. I can't explain it, I just do," Luke told her.

"I believe you. I know you will, Luke. That's how it happens. Trust me, I have helped many younglings made their own. It just comes to them through the Force. I didn't know what I needed to make these, until I had it, and then I did as well. It just came to me, and I can't tell you how often I helped others do it before that. I had even made my first lightsaber as a youngling as well. It's just something that comes to you when you are ready. I have faith in you, Luke." She put her hand on his shoulder, "Luke, be careful, it's possible someone may try to trap you on Tatooine. I overheard something that implied a trap here coming from the 'highest level' and it sounded like it may be for you. It implied by any means necessary, that means that someone may try to kill you."

"Ahsoka, we are going to Jabba the Hutt's palace. Of course, someone is going to try to kill me. As for the highest level, I doubt it's Vader. It seemed he wanted me alive to join him. I don't believe it could be anyone worse than that. I've learned so much since then. I am sure I will be able to handle myself."

"I believe you can, Luke."

"I guess I should let you rest. Thanks, Ahsoka."

A cycle or two later, they had been given all the details from General Cracken. Leia got the disguise and everything else they needed for their plan to work. Ahsoka wasn't privy to all the details, but then she wouldn't be involved in that part of the trip. She had another assignment to take care of, and merely needed to get Leia to the planet and to Chewbacca. It would be nice to have the chance to talk just to Leia on the way to Tatooine.

Leia arrived on Ahsoka's ship with Threepio, the items she and Luke would need were already packed and loaded. After a send off from a worried Mon Mothma and a worried General Rieekan, they both took off for Tatooine, once in hyperspace, they relaxed and talked a bit. Threepio was immediately put to work on some task in the back of the ship which kept him out of the way, and helped monitor the ship's functions.

"I can't believe I'm really doing this," Leia said. "You said you met this Jabba the Hutt? I've only heard about him."

"Jabba has been a powerful crime lord in the outer rim for a long time. Back in the time of the Clone Wars, my Jedi master and I rescued his son from a kidnapping plot as part of a treaty with the Republic. Instead of rewarding us however, he sentenced with death thinking that we had kidnapped him. If not for the interference of Senator Amidala at the time, proving our innocence, it might have been a bit messy," Ahsoka explained.

"Senator Amidala. That name sounds familiar, my father mentioned her a few times, apparently they were great friends."

"She was a great lady, and a good friend. I knew her quite well. We went on several missions together. I never saw her after I left the Jedi. There were a few Senators that were great friends of the Jedi, your father was one, she was another," Ahsoka explained."I went searching for information on her recently, thinking about her. I could only find a picture of when she had been Queen of Naboo, and of her funeral. She died at the end of the Clone Wars."

"Yes, one of my aunts said something about that, she was pregnant when she died. Since I was adopted at about the time she died, my aunt wondered if I was her child, instead of a war refugee my father had helped. Apparently, it was unknown who had been the father of her baby, and my aunt thought it was scandalous. My aunts were funny like that. I was always rebelling against them. They wanted other things for me, but I was way too independent for them. I would tell my parents, often they were on my side, but my mother would instill the sense of duty and respect. Father would get very upset," Leia got quiet, and sad, then with an uncomfortable laugh, "Had you ever been to Alderaan? I find it hard to talk about now."

"I did, with Senator Amidala. Your home planet was quite beautiful. Your parents sponsored a conference on, of all things, war refugees. I remember they were great friends. Of course, I was often using Alderaanian ships with my previous work with the rebellion, thanks to your father,"Ahsoka said with a sad giggle.

"Then it does make sense that father would mention her so much. He would talk of the Jedi as well, though it was forbidden. I never knew the extent of how involved he was in the rebellion movement until I was much older. That, of course, is something you knew quite a bit about yourself," Leia reflected sadly.

Ahsoka took Leia's hand, and squeezed it, "I worked with the rebellion a very long time with your father. He was a remarkable man and he would be very proud of you."

Ahsoka stared again at Leia and things were starting to make a lot of sense, and that when Bail kept her in the dark about Obi-Wan and Yoda that the person he may have been protecting all those years may have been closer to him than she realized. Both of them? Pieces were coming together, but she realized she must not think on it too deep, to keep the secret, if indeed she was correct. The danger was obvious. Ahsoka knew that Leia had been under Darth Vader's very nose more than once. Was it possible she was the other being protected?

When they arrived on Tatooine, they found the location of the Millennium Falcon, now covered with a tarp and sand. Ahsoka could barely recognize the ship, but it did make for a great disguise if anyone was looking for it. Chewbacca lowered the ramp and Leia ran up and hugged him. The three of them gathered in the lounge area, Threepio coming slowly behind, complaining the entire way.

Chewie explained that Lando was indeed working in Jabba's palace, and that Han was still frozen in carbonite, a decoration on Jabba's wall. They could only hope that he was still alive, but Lando assured Chewie the last time that he had seen him, that he was, and that gave Leia some relief. They sat and chatted for a bit, but Ahsoka had other rebellion business in Mos Eisley, and had to wish her friends luck with their rescue. She had wished she could stay and help, but she knew part of her mission was to make sure that any traps would not be tied to their escape, knowing that someone was paying a bounty hunter to find Luke. They would now be going their separate ways. Ahsoka got back into her ship and headed for the docking bays at Mos Eisley. She had her own mission, and wanted to get there before Luke arrived on planet.


	9. Danger in the Desert

The docking bay in Mos Eisley was more out of the way than the one she had been able to get the last time she was here. It made Ahsoka a bit nervous, in the event that she needed a quick get away, but it wasn't like she hadn't been in more precarious circumstances before. She was to meet her contact in another docking bay on the other side of the small city, it was night, but that never seemed to matter too much in Mos Eisley, it was alive any time of the twin suns cycles. It was easier to not be seen slipping through alleys and behind the buildings to get to her destination. She wore a cloak, as not to be recognized, and even if they didn't, at least she wouldn't be obvious. She still feared that Vader would find out she was still alive, though it was possible he already felt she was, as much as she tried to mask it. There weren't many stormtroopers here, they only had a small garrison, apparently left over from the time of Luke's departure when they were searching for the rogue droids with secret plans. Tatooine was still under the control of the Jabba the Hutt, and it sounded like they had worked out some kind of deal about the Empire using the space for their own needs, and it also coincided with many of the Hutt's own business concerns. Not that the Empire couldn't control it if they wanted to, but why bother, they got what they wanted, and the Hutt would just do the rest without using too many of the Empire's own resources. Still the small garrison was a reminder of who really would pull the strings in the end, and there were not enough stormtroopers to worry Ahsoka much. She just wouldn't think there would be this many here.

She made her way to the specified docking bay. It was empty. She took to a corner, and waited. She wasn't sure who her contact was, but was told that the contact would be making a whistling sound at random intervals, and that there would be a ship already docked there. Ahsoka sat for an hour waiting before she heard the sound of whistling. She clicked back the designated sound of response. The agent whistled again. Ahsoka came out from the darkness, and saw the agent. It was the same Twi'lek from before here in Mos Eisley, the one in her vision, the one who recruited her. Before she could say anything, an older Rodian came out pointing a gun. "Who is this?" he called in Huttese.

"You! You sold me out!" Ahsoka lashed out at the Twi'lek, attacking her with her hands and pushing her to the ground using the Force. The Twi'lek got up fighting back, cowering a bit to cover her face and then shook her arms back and forth.

"Calm down, calm down." The Twi'lek said as she tried to restrain her, but Ahsoka keeps pushing her back. The Rodian hit the blaster on stun towards Ahsoka.

"She'll be alright. Let's tie her up and get some sense into her. This was not the way this was supposed to go." The Twi'lek said as she wiped her lip. "Probably got nervous with the last job here, is all. It will be all right. Trust me."

They carried Ahsoka up onto a ship, and restrained her to a chair on ship.

As Ahsoka came to, all she heard was, "I'm still going to get my money, right?"He said in Huttese.

"Oh, you'll get your money, if you do what I tell you to do,"answered the Twi'lek.

Ahsoka started to struggle. "Calm down, you aren't in any danger. I understand why you felt threatened, after what happened last time. Jeeta here is a bounty hunter, he's working for me. Don't worry, he's not after you, not this time, and he will keep quiet, he owes me. You did great on that last job, though you should have gotten the hint when I said to don't ask questions and go. You handled yourself though, that's what Cracken said, anyway. If I untie you, think you can get it together enough to chat? I assure you, we are on the same page. Cracken told me you might be a bit weary of me." The Twi'lek untied Ahsoka, the Rodian still with the blaster pointed at her.

"I don't understand all of this?" Ahsoka answered wearily.

"As you shouldn't, but I will fill you in as best I can under the circumstances. As you know who I work for, the same people you work for, Jeeta here came to me with some interesting news, knowing I would pay for it. He's not after you either. After some intelligence passed on to my superior, and a chat with Jeeta here, Jeeta is going to keep your secret. Unfortunately, Jeeta is the go between of some other bounty hunters, hired by another individual, one that probably doesn't need to know who you are. Why that is, we can't tell Jeeta, sorry Jeeta. So, we aren't going to mention your name or your race, understand? You will need to be in disguise. It's going to be a bit of a stretch, but some interesting developments have made this necessary. Right now, you have to calm down, and trust me, understand?"

"OK. I think." Ahsoka relaxed.

"Good, stopping someone from getting to a certain friend of yours. I know this sounds kind of vague, but I will fill in the blanks later, I promise."

Jeeta spoke in Huttese, "These bounty hunters have been hired by someone else in the Empire."

"So you're with the Empire and helping us?" Ahsoka asked, completely confused, this Twi'lek better have a great explanation for all this, she thought to herself.

"Jeeta is only out for Jeeta and who pays Jeeta, this time though, you and I have a mutual friend in on it as well, he wants you protected. Seems you did him a favor and he owes you. Even if they think we are scum, some of us bounty hunters still have a code," Jeeta responded in Huttese. "I don't know who you are, but you have done something for a partner of mine, and we don't forget"

The Twi'lek directed him out the door and on his way, she then closed the hatch and waited.

"I have to get some bacta. You are quite the fighter my friend. I understand why you didn't trust me, sorry about the stun. We had to," she walked over to the medicine kit and brought it over to a table and sat. Come, sit with me. I will let you know what you need to know. Cracken told me about what you said about thinking that your Commander is in trouble. I've been watching for Boba Fett. He's here. Boba Fett isn't concerned for your Commander, but someone is concerned for this Skywalker. More than one person in fact. Jeeta is the go between for Zuckuss and 4-Lom, he doesn't know who hired them, but if I was to guess, it's Vader. They came though after the other guys. The other guys are who you need to worry about. Cracken told me that Mon Mothma doesn't want Zuckuss to know you are here. Cracken seems to want to keep your identify from Vader, I don't know why, I'm sure you do, so Zuckuss doesn't know you are here. Jeeta is working with another bounty hunter, we pay them. This is what I know. Zuckuss isn't to kill or try to capture this Commander, only to keep the other group from trying to capture or kill him. Only person I can think higher than Vader is the Emperor, or maybe it's just one of his up and coming Moffs wanting to move up in the ranks, I don't know. Anyway, Vader or whoever, and I conjecture it's Vader because that is who paid Boba Fett, according to Jeeta, who heard from Zuckuss, doesn't want Commander Skywalker dead, I don't know why, I don't care, all I care about is that we take out whoever is trying to get to Commander Skywalker. Cracken said you might have communication with Skywalker's friends here on Tatooine?"

Ahsoka sat there and stared a moment. Could she trust this woman? She reached out into the Force for an answer, and she seemed sincere. There was that dream, but didn't it come to pass? She could always contact Chewbacca, without her around. She spoke, "Yes, I can contact them, when I left, he still hadn't arrived. Does this Zuckuss have an idea of the bounty hunter who is looking for them?"

"Not only does Zuckuss, but I do as well. Look, we are set to meet with Jeeta again in a bit, he's gone off to see Zuckuss. Zuckuss has a man in Jabba's palace, and said that Boba Fett is there as well. That's how Jeeta knew about Fett, even though we are kind of working with Zuckuss, we don't trust Zuckuss, just we have the same goals and are sort of, well, using each other here," The Twi'lek answered.

"Commander Skywalker's friends have a man in Jabba's palace as well, could that be of some help? What do I do, am I expected to work with this Zuckuss and what was that, 4-Lom?"

"You won't meet with Zuckuss, but we have to find something for you to get yourself in disguise. Those montrals are going to be tough, maybe we can change your markings with some paint, don't know how you will feel about that, different clothes, a shawl, just let me see what I have here. You can go make yourself comfortable over in that room there, it's the crew's quarters. It will give you some privacy. Will check back with you when I see what I can come up with," and with that, the Twi'lek went to a back storage compartment, leaving Ahsoka to make her way to the crew quarters.

She was able to get up with Chewbacca and Leia. Luke still hadn't arrived, and wasn't expected for another day, she asked if they had gotten any suspicious activity and to be weary of any lifeforms in the area. They themselves were in a very remote area of the desert. Chewbacca gave her a contact in Mos Espa, for backup if they needed it. He also told her that he could put word into Lando if he had to. They were going to have to give him a heads up anyway before they implemented the rescue plan.

The Twi'lek, whose name Ahsoka never got, and who seemed to like that she didn't know her name, came back with a few different disguises to try, just in case someone could identify her. Ahsoka was beginning to wonder if Mos Eisley, with it's bounty hunters and criminal organizational activities, was such a great place to be a rebellion spy, and one who was also presumed dead and certainly would be hunted if found alive, but when she looked in the mirror, after the Twi'lek has done her magic, she barely recognized herself. The Twi'lek then took Ahsoka out of the ship and onto the street to a private room above a cantina two streets away. Jeeta and his partner were due to meet them there.

When Jeeta came in, he was followed by a small alien covered in the shadows. Ahsoka hid in the corner. When the alien came closer, she immediately recognized him as Seripas, a bounty hunter she had remembered from back in the Clone Wars. "Not so knee high now are you, my friend?," he spoke directed towards Ahsoka.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I saw you on Cerea, you didn't see me though! I have found being small now is an asset, not a handicap."

"Better than that bulky armor," she laughed as the last time she had seen him, he had been wearing a mechanical suit to make him look much larger.

"Yes, and I never forget a kindness," Seripas smiled. "This is a very strange dealing, I'm sure. Jeeta's being paid by the Rebellion, and I am the one who found the information for Zuckuss. Jeeta doesn't know your name, I know you do not wish it known. I have found my size very useful in the past many years, and in part I have you to thank. I am small enough to listen in the most unusual places, and Jeeta and others have found that to be very handy. Zuckuss has found me useful as well. There were three in Mos Espa, and Zuckuss got rid of them, but five here are hired for the job as well. I don't know why Zuckuss is keeping them from finding your man, or why your man has a target on his back."

"Pretty much, after we get these individuals threatening Skywalker out of the way, we have to somehow keep Zuckuss and 4-Lom from reporting back to their employer, until they are safely off planet. You say he has a man in Jabba's palace? He will have to be taken care of somehow," The Twi'lek agent responded. "To keep him from reporting back on the activities of those we are protecting."

"I thought of that, remember, Seripas is small. I know who Zuckuss has and I have a plan, I'll get into the palace myself, and drug him. He won't be able to inform Zuckuss when Skywalker arrives," Seripas informed the group.

"So we use or hope Zuckuss is successful in his plan of taking out those endangering Skywalker's rescue attempt. I don't know how comfortable I am counting on another bounty hunter working for someone else to take out a threat to my friends," Ahsoka said.

"I understand and I do agree with you, but know that we have some of our own people here as well, not just you and I. We have a great priority to protect both the Commander and our other, um, individual located here," The Twi'lek answered.

"Zuckuss assures us he will not get paid if Skywalker is killed," Jeeta said.

"And these other people are willing to kill him?" Ahsoka said.

"It's of my belief that Black Sun is involved, possibly involving the Emperor, I honestly do not know, but that's the educated guess." Seripas said.

"And it's Vader who wants him alive? I understand," Ahsoka replied.

"We don't understand why, but that is what Zuckuss is being paid for," Seripas replied, "We need to go, you have my comm if you need me, and you know how to get in touch with me or Jeeta."

Jeeta and Seripas left the room. Ahsoka and the Twi'lek made their way down the hall to another door and stepped out. There was the opening to a cantina, where there were several bounty posters, a band playing, a fight, some deals and a lot of noise. They made their way through the alleys back to the Twi'lek's ship. The agent offered to get Ahsoka some caf and some food and to have a seat.

"Where do you and I fit in on this?" Ahsoka asked, as the Twi'lek sat down.

"Well, I was trained as a sniper, and I understand you are great at not being seen, as well as a great many other things, like I said before, I already know you are a legend," the Twi'lek answered, "Just call me, 418 for now, it's a code name, if you need to refer to me, just tell Cracken, 418 and he will understand. For now eat, then get some rest, we have a busy day tomorrow."

The next day, Ahsoka and 418 grabbed a speeder and headed for a rocky range not far from, but not in close distance of the Millennium Falcon. 418 planted several detonators in the ground along a perimeter that could be taken out by remote. They climbed up to a higher point as a look out where they would be able to see for miles around using electrobinoculars, including the area around the Falcon. As they were scoping the area, the Twi'lek began to talk.

"You probably have some questions about your assignment before involving the imperial defector. I told you to take him and don't ask questions. He wasn't going to pass the prints and facial identification. That man was murdered. We found him two days later. I hoped you would get the message by the way I said what I did. I see that you did. I apologize for having put you in jeopardy, but assumed you could figure it out, and am relieved you did. I had copies of everything, in case you didn't. I had to do that, anyway, I'm sorry, but the mission is more important than the agent. I hope you understand, and as I said, I'm relieved you figured it out. There was a message for you on the package, it was cryptic, but that was my back up plan. I didn't know how dangerous he was, only that he wasn't our man. When I told Cracken, he said to go on with the plan, he seemed to know that you could take care of it. I have to say, I'm impressed, but still, it could have gone a different way. We were able to weed out a mole because of the whole incident, which made it worth it, but losing that defector, the things he knew, that would have been a big boost for intelligence. Still, it wasn't a complete loss. You know as well as I do, sometimes you have to make sacrifices to keep information. And if you knew more, and he took the ship? That would have made it worse," The Twi'lek explained.

A beep came over the comm, it was the Jeeta, "Zuckuss is following behind a group of speeders out to the desert." He said in Huttese.

"OK, be on the look out," 418 said, "See there, moving out on the horizon. We got to move in closer."

418 and Ahsoka moved down the canyon. 418 directed Ahsoka towards a canyon, where they could look out from the ground, "Chewbacca, you there?"

Ahsoka heard a growl.

"We have incoming, has Luke arrived yet?"

Chewie growled.

Ahsoka looked towards 418, "Luke's just coming out of hyperspace and entering the atmosphere, they must have someone scoping the skies."

418 nodded.

As the convoy of speeders approached the detonators, 418 pressed the button. Sand flew everywhere, Ahsoka couldn't see through the microbinoculars, "We have to move in closer!" Ahsoka yelled.

"Wait for it to settle first!" 418 yelled.

"Don't worry about that! I don't need to see! Trust me!"

They moved the speeder in closer. They couldn't see, but Ahsoka could tell where the convoy was. By the time they got there, the sand was starting to settle, bodies and vehicles were everywhere, those that weren't dead were starting to come up with blasters in hand. 418 started shooting. Ahsoka, making note that Zuckuss could still be out here, diverted the blasts back to where they came from. It was like a dust storm. Ahsoka thought fast, using the Force she swirled the sand into a giant funnel around the group and out further into the desert. There was a sandstorm for miles. The shock from those few who were still shooting was enough of a distraction for 418 to take the rest out. Then further away, another speeder approached, shooting, 418 threw a detonator, and it blew it to bits. "Get out of here! Zuckuss is coming!" 418 yelled.

"I can't leave you!"Ahsoka yelled.

"Go!"

Ahsoka ran out of the sand and back to the canyon and into a cave. There were more blasts and more blaster fire. She peered out and looked through the microbinoculars, but the sand still kept it from being visible. The blasts stopped. Ahsoka comm'd Chewbacca,"Did Luke get in yet?"

Chewbacca howled an affirmative, but they almost didn't see him for all of the sand. The sandstorm that Ahsoka created. It honestly wore her out a bit. She sat and waited, and hoped that 418 would make it out. In the meantime, all she could do was wait.

After some time, the sand did settle, and 418 made it back to the canyon. "Slacking off there, Tano?"

Ahsoka slowly came out of her slumber and noticed that 418 got hit by a blaster on the arm and the leg. 418 just collapsed, "Can you get to the speeder? I have a kit in there."

Ahsoka made her way to the speeder, it was a bit of a walk and between it being the hottest part of the day, not to mention the difficulty moving in the sand left from the storm, not quite yet packed and settled, it took some time, but she was able to make it back, with both the speeder and the kit. She gave 418 some water, and got out the kit, "You OK there?" Ahsoka asked.

"Never better, just a scratch," 418 replied and passed out.

Ahsoka put her in the speeder, and headed back to Mos Eisley. Not knowing what happened after she left 418 to battle it alone put her at a disadvantage, but she figured the best thing right now was to just get her back to town. When she passed the battle scene, it was mostly covered by sand, with a few chunks of metal here and there sticking out. Otherwise you would never know anything happened there at all. She only hoped that the danger for Luke had passed as far as the bounty hunter issue was concerned. She comm'd Chewbacca. Chewbacca said that he had arrived, and they were starting on their plan. Luke had departed for what sounded like a place he knew already, so she assumed that perhaps he went to Obi-Wan's old home as he had told her he would do, and Chewbacca and Leia were working on their part of the plan. She grabbed 418's comm and tried to contact Jeeta. Jeeta said that Seripas had been able to take care of the contact in Jabba's that Zuckuss had on his payroll. No one was sure about Zuckuss, if he was still in the desert, or if he had gone back to town, Jeeta couldn't bring him up on his comm at all, but it was possible he got buried with 4-Lom in the sandstorm.

Ahsoka was able to get 418 back into her ship and clean her up. She was starting to come back to consciousness a bit, the bacta helped heal her wound, and she wondered if she should get her some real medical help. She couldn't contact Cracken from inside 418's ship, and she didn't have her codes, so she just tried to heal her as best she could with her use of the Force, and the medical supplies on hand, security was the most important thing. She still couldn't get Chewbacca on the comm, either. They must be already implementing the plan.

Later Seripas showed up. Seripas had gotten out of Jabba's palace after drugging the agent on the Zuckuss payroll to keep him quiet. Ahsoka just hoped that their plan would now go smoothly, and they were able to direct any threat away from Luke and the others while they conducted it. At this point, she really had no way of knowing, short of going to the Falcon and waiting, and that would probably just put another target on them. She just hoped Zuckuss didn't inform Vader, or whoever was paying him, that Skywalker was on Tatooine. Seripas shook her hand, and left Ahsoka with 418.

It was hours before 418 was conscious. Ahsoka made her some soup, and 418 smiled. Sometime later, she started talking,"I thought I was dead there for a minute. Thanks for bringing me back."

"Jeeta hasn't heard from Zuckuss, but he's led to believe that the threat is gone for now," Ahsoka told her.

"I think I may have taken Zuckuss out, I don't know. That droid of his was out there as well. They might be the only ones who knew if there was anyone else here. Still, we should stick around, and make sure Skywalker and the rest can make it back out," 418 replied.

"You aren't in any shape to do anything right now, rest, I haven't called Cracken, I couldn't from your ship, I didn't have access."

"Don't. Not yet. Help me to the cockpit."

418 called through a bit later on the safe channel to Cracken. Another agent had been patrolling the area after Skywalker's landing and found the space safe for now. They didn't have the man power or ships to patrol the atmosphere, but it would have made it even more dangerous if they could, as it would just bring more attention the the fact they were even there. They couldn't even afford to have a nearby frigate close enough to hyperspace in if a star destroyer showed up outside the planet. It was fortunate that the Empire and the Rebel Alliance were both being distracted by more important matters than the whereabouts of two individuals, no matter how important they may be to either. They were instructed to be on standby, so it was just a sit and wait.

It was a matter of time before Seripas showed back up again. "Zuckuss and 4-Lom were spotted taking cover in the desert. I sent Jeeta out there in a speeder. He's telling them the speeder is broken, but he was able to comm me, and they had to catch a ride with some Jawas. Who knows when they will get back to town. Seems they have no way to get in touch with anyone. That buys you a couple of days," Seripas told them.

"Boy, Jeeta sure is going to expect a nice payment if he has to do all of that. Good work though," 418 answered.

418 gave Seripas the credits for his work and for Jeeta's. Seripas looked very satisfied and gave Ahsoka a nod before leaving.

It was a couple of days before they got word from Cracken that the mission was complete. Nothing was said about Luke making it out, or anything else about that, just that it was done. Ahsoka couldn't help but wonder about Leia, Luke, Chewbacca or the others. 418 was still in bad condition, but well enough to move a bit, "I can leave my ship here. Really can't risk flying it right now. Can you give me a ride off planet? I already OK'd it with intelligence," 418 asked.

"Sure, we can take my ship, if you tell me where," Ahsoka responded.

"I can't tell you where, but I can show you," 418 responded.

On the way to her ship, they heard chatter in the streets that Jabba the Hutt was dead, no one was sure how he died. Oh, there were certainly different accounts of his demise, but consensus seemed to be that only that his barge was found destroyed, and he had been on it at the time. It gave Ahsoka hope that her friends were successful. Once they got to Ahsoka's ship, 418 insisted on putting in coordinates for each jump herself. Of course, if Ahsoka wanted to, she could check records and sense what 418 was doing, but 418 insisted on doing it all herself, with Ahsoka doing all of the piloting. The last two jumps required some kind of verbal communication, and that's when it became apparent as to why. "The Rebel Alliance isn't supposed to know about this place, and honestly, they probably do, but I know about it, and they'll take care of us, just trust me," 418 informed Ahsoka.

Trust me seemed to be 418's favorite words.


	10. 418

“You said to trust you!” Ahsoka yelled in frustration.

She and 418 were on their way to a penal colony on Garen IV. At least 418 was able to get some much needed medical attention, that was after they found the rogue doctor 418 knew about that apparently was good at secrets, as she explained. He was well known to pirates and those living on the edge of the outer rim, criminals and the like were apt to turn to him for aid, and apparently 418 as well. Ahsoka had a bad feeling about the whole situation, and was more comfortable just relying on the facility the alliance had, even trying to change identities and going to a regular medical facility anywhere would have been better than this. When they got there, 418 was well known there, and they used a name for her, Rizel, which Ahsoka assumed wasn't her real name anyway. Ahsoka again used Ashla, but having used that name so often in the past, she was beginning to wonder if using another name would be safer in the future, if there even was one at this point. She had left her docked ship and with her lightsabers on board to avoid detection. It was both a blessing and an annoyance that she had, as if she had them, they would have made her even more suspicious. Most people didn't own lightsabers anymore.

When they first arrived there, imperial presence seemed to be everywhere. Apparently, where 418 had taken her had recently an incident involving some rebel activity, and it caused a garrison to take over the sector. She was sure they didn't know who they were or who they were with, but they had been in the doctor's facility at the time of the raid along with two Sullustans and the doctor himself. The doctor was being investigated for stealing Imperial property. Weren't they all though at this point? They were merely accomplices in the wrong place at the wrong time. How strange it was to be taken by the Empire when they were actually innocent of something. There of course was no trial. They all were just taken to a small cell in the garrison, and packed away without any questioning. 

Although treated for her injuries, 418 was still in bad shape and in recovery. The doctor was able to give her a bacta bath and put her back together some what, but she had needed more time to recover when the facility was over taken. The ship itself was small, and Ahsoka has been knocked out and was, just starting to get her bearings as to where she was. She assumed correctly that the ship that they were being held on was small, there were only four stormtroopers guarding the 5 of them, and who knew how many were piloting the ship. They were bound in binders behind their back, and Ahsoka had a brief moment of panic remembering her lightsabers, and hoped that they were still on her ship, and that her ship had not been searched. That would have been a red flag as to her possible identity, and being in Imperial custody was enough of a worry, without them having evidence that she was not only a Force user, but Ahsoka Tano, former Jedi and the former apprentice to Anakin Skywalker. The others were still barely conscious, it probably helped the stormtroopers drag them aboard, and from the chatter, she knew where it was headed. She concentrated on releasing her binders, reaching out to the Force, and doing so in such a way as to not draw attention. It was obvious they were already in hyperspace, which was a disadvantage, but a minor one. Once she released the binders, she pretended to still be in them as the stormtroopers watched. She tried to reach out into the Force to sense who or what other lifeforms may be on the ship, and it appeared that there were only two in the cockpit that she could sense. Now, what to do? They could try to take the ship, it was possible, if she could subdue the four here in the cargo bay. She thought a moment. 418 was basically useless at this point, and she didn't know enough about the others. Think, Ahsoka, think.

Mind tricks? It could work to an extent, but then she would still find herself having to deal with them after that wore off. It wasn't like she could put a mind trick on them and walk away. It would work for a short term, but a more long term solution was necessary. She looked up at the top of the ship. There was some duct work, knocking it down onto the stormtroopers could work to knock them out. Would it create a noise? Maybe that mind trick could come in handy. 

“You will line up along the port side cargo wall.” Ahsoka commanded, waving her hand.

The stormtroopers looked at her confused, as if they had only half heard it. Then one too the butt of his blaster and knocked her in the shoulder.

“Quiet prisoner!”

“You will line up along the port side cargo wall.” Ahsoka commanded again. 

All four of the stormtroopers did as told.

“You will drop your weapons.” 

They dropped their weapons. 

Thinking about what that duct actually did, recycled the air in the ship, Ahsoka knew it would make the ship uncomfortable, but that couldn't be helped right now, and could be remedied at some point. She would think about that later. Reaching out to the force, she pulled the duct down, knocking out all four of the stormtroopers. She stood up, dropped the binders and kicked the blasters to the other side. 418 who had by this time been fully conscious, smiled quietly, as Ahsoka released her binders. 

They both grabbed a blaster and 418 blasted the stormtroopers. 

“Were they on stun?” Ahsoka asked.

“Does it matter? Let's get them out the airlock.” 

The commotion brought attention from the cockpit as the two Imperial pilots, both looking like low ranking officers, entered the cargo bay. 

“Hey, what's going on in...”

They hit them both with the blasters. Ahsoka undid the binders on the doctor and the other two prisoners, all three still coming out of whatever was used to subdued them. She pulled the stormtroopers and the pilots out to the airlock, and took over the ship command. It did seem distasteful to do, but necessary, war being what it was. The destination on the hyperdrive was to go directly to Garen IV, so she had to figure out where to come out of hyperspace and where they were as far as coordinates. Coming out of hyperspace in an aircraft such as this one was different than she was used to, and she wasn't familiar with the computer on the panel. Luck would have it though, and she was able to slow it down, figure out where she was in space, and find a familiar location in the depths of space where they could then figure out their next move. Landing anywhere near Garen IV without the proper identification would have been a disaster. 

“We could go back and get my ship?” Ahsoka said, thinking about how attached she had been getting to that messed up bag of bolts, not to mention her lightsabers on board.

“Don't be ridiculous. Don't worry about your ship right now. If we went back there, we would just be caught again. We might be able to send someone for it. I have an idea.” 418 stated. 

“I hope it's better than your last one.” Ahsoka said.

“It is. Try and fix that duct work if you can.”

They reached a planet that Ahsoka didn't know. When they entered the planets atmosphere, a small corvette hailed them. “Identify yourself, or be fired upon! I don't care if you are an Imperial vessel, you will be fired upon!” 

“Rigda?” 418 replied.

“Inkeena? Is that you?”

“It is. Now, let me land.” 418 responded.

“Inkeena? Is that another alias?” Ahsoka questioned.

“No, Ahsoka, not this time. Pleased to meet you.” 

They landed on a lush green planet on a pad with various different ships, many of which appeared to be of the type owned by the wealthy and the powerful. Inkeena spoke with the doctor, a human, and two Sullustans who apparently were just supplying the doctor with contraband medical supplies, and may not have been so innocent to the Empire at all and may have been followed to the doctor's doorstep causing the raid. They were obviously on their side though, and not friends of the Empire. Inkeena suggested they stay on the ship for now, with only Ahsoka accompanying her. As they walked towards the very large and grand building in front of them, an elegant, beautiful, middle-aged human guarded by a small entourage, greeted them. 

“Inkeena, my dear, I do hope you checked that ship for tracking devices.” The woman questioned in an annoyed tone.

“Well, Cilburna, you know me better than that. Just think of it as a new ship added to the collection.” 418, or well, Inkeena replied with a smirk.

“What brings you here? Trouble again?” 

“My companion here took this ship after we were captured. I went to the medical facility on Florrum, got pretty banged up on Tattooine, and well, we kind of got captured by the Empire. Was hoping for a little help here if I could?” 

“What is it that you need now?” Cilburna sighed. 

“Well, to start, I need someone to go back to Florrum and get the ship, and second, a place to crash for a bit? You see, I'm still technically in recovery.” Inkeena said as she pulled up her tunic and started to show her bandages.

“Oh Force!” Cilburna's mood suddenly changed from annoyance to deep concern. 

Inkeena proceeded to pass out. Ahsoka was surprised she was able to hold her own as long as she could.

Arrangements were made for everyone on board. When Cilburna learned that one of the passengers had been the doctor, she immediately requested that he be placed on Inkeera's care and in an adjoining room. Cilburna also had a medical droid on the premises and made arrangements for Ahsoka and the Sullustans as well. Her home was very grand, almost a palace. There was something very familiar about her, but Ahsoka just couldn't place it. She reminded her of someone, more than being someone she actually knew. She didn't want to be one of those Togrutas who thought all humans looked alike, but this one did look like someone else. 

“I know I seemed rude, upon your arrival, but you see, well, it's a bit personal. Inkeena was raised here as one of our wards, as one of our children. Along with my natural children, you see. I think of her as my daughter, but as often as it is with children, sometimes there is a bit of awkwardness when adult children return home, usually wanting something, rather than a warm homecoming. I assure you though, it was no offense to you, and I do love the girl.” Cilburna explained.

Ahsoka just nodded, and wondered if she was yet again, dragged into another family's drama. 

“I'm sorry dear, I didn't get your name.” Cilburna finally asked Ahsoka after all the chaos of Inkeera's care and arrival had been managed. 

Ahsoka thought a moment, should she give the alias? Should she use her real name? Why hide at this point. The woman was obviously not connected to the Empire, and she was Inkeera's sort of, well, emotional mother. “It's Ahsoka.”

“Not THE Ahsoka? From the Clone Wars?” Cilburna asked and shook her head and let out an short laugh.

Ut oh. Ahsoka thought, maybe saying her real name wasn't a great idea.

Cilburna just stared at her for a moment, took her arm, and bid her to follow her into a dining room.

Ahsoka was offered a chair by a droid, and noticed that the Sullustans, the doctor, two Twi'lek teenagers and a young human male were sitting at the table. She hadn't taken a good look at any of them, but when she looked over at the human male, again, there was some kind of familiarity to him as well. Cilburna took her seat, next to Ahsoka. Cilburna clapped her hands, and droids brought out the food and the drink. 

Realizing that Ahsoka really had no idea where exactly in the galaxy she was, she asked, “Excuse me, but Inkeena brought me here, and I have no idea where here is exactly.”

“Officially? It's a moon of a planet known only for a bunch of numbers, mostly forgotten, however we like to call it, New Raxus. We have been able to control the whole moon.” Cilburna replied while drinking her wine.

“New Raxus?” Ahsoka shivered thinking of her own experience on the original planet of that name. The moon did match it's beauty, however.

“Yes, I was raised there. My husband made this our home. I have heard quite a bit about you, Ahsoka Tano.” 

“I hope good things, I mean, Raxus was the center of the Separatists, and well.. I..” Ahsoka started to say, but was cut off.

“My dear, please, allow me. I'm Lux Bonteri's wife. This is the center of our operations. I am aware of you, more than you realize.”

Ahsoka dropped her utensil and stopped chewing her food with a gasp. 

“Oh dear, I didn't mean to scare you. I should have said when you arrived. I'm actually hoping you can be of service to us on a little mission, and I want you to know that I have someone returning your ship to you as we speak. Lux actually was going to approach the subject when you both were on Cerea. It involves Suprine, our daughter Minra, and it's quite interesting that you have brought a couple of Sullustans with you, because it involves the planet Sullust.”

So that explains the familiarity she had with Cilburna and what she assumed was her son. She looked a lot like Minra, and the boy was very similar in looks as Lux was when she first met him. She felt almost guilty now having those girlish feelings on Cerea while spending time with Lux there. Cilburna seemed to know she was there with him alone though, and didn't seem phased at all. 

“We dedicated our lives in trying to improve the galaxy and ridding it of the oppression of the Empire. We have raised 12 Twi'lek orphans here as our own children, all refugees from Ryloth, all destined for slavery. Inkeena being one who joined the Rebel Alliance, as well as our Minra. We really don't have too much against the Rebel Alliance in spirit, we find it almost necessary, however, we have in our own mind how to take down the Empire, that we have often clashed. It does seem natural though that we had lost some of our children to the Rebel Alliance, and I have to admit that right now, it seems that the rebellion as a greater whole may actually be getting somewhere with their war with the Empire that now is the time that we help each other. Our private factions have all promised to give aid to whatever operation the Alliance has planned. In the past, we have often clashed, we have lost so many though, so many great warriors. The Rebel Alliance just seem more polite about it maybe? I admit, we have made quite a living on exploiting the Empire as a whole, but I can say we have never done so in the name of slavery. I'm actually almost relieved at times that Minra and Inkeena both have chosen the Rebel Alliance, we would have never allowed them to join as spies in our own networks. It was the way they were raised, but I had hoped they would help on the side lines and not in the middle of it, a mother likes to protect her cubs. Seems they have had their own rebellion against us? I don't know.”

“Did you know I was working with Inkeema?” Ahsoka asked.

“I did not, but what a happy accident. Lux was actually going to try to seek you out again, via Minra, of course. It helps to have a friend who may have the Alliance leadership's ear.” 

“I can try. I haven't been in contact with them since Tatooine. Why Sullust?” Ahsoka asked.

“My dear, I take it you haven't been updated on the latest news. The Rebel Alliance has taken Sullust.” Cilburna took another sip and looked at Ahsoka and laughed. “It really is a pleasure to finally meet you. How often I have teased Lux about you when he would talk about you. I believe you may have been his first love. You needn't worry, I won't hold that against you.” Cilburna laughed. 

It was a couple of cycles later when Ahsoka's ship arrived on the moon, brought in by someone that the Bonteri's already had in place where she had left it. It sounded like they had their own spy network of sorts throughout the galaxy among their various factions that they supported. Apparently, Suprine's group was just one of many that they aided, and even to some extent, a bit of the Rebel Alliance when necessary. Cilburna said that Princess Leia could be very persuasive in gaining various levels of support at various secret conferences, and Ahsoka, knowing the Princess, was not surprised by that.

Inkeena was improving greatly under the medical attention of the doctor, Cilburna's resources at her compound, and a bit of maternal love. It was almost as if 418 and Inkeena actually were two different people. 

418, or now as she knew her, Inkeena, gave her the channels in order to contact Cracken and to get in touch with the forces now on Sullust. Cilburna kept insisting she trade her ship for one of her own fleet, Ahsoka's own ship being, well, so debilitated, but Ahsoka told her she liked it and had become accustomed to it's quirks and enjoyed doing the repairs. She was relieved to find it untouched, and her lightsabers exactly where she had left them. The Sullustans, apparently a pair of blockade runners for the doctor, would join her. Cilburna did insist upon filling the cargo bay with medical supplies and some food for the galley, and wished her good luck. Ahsoka only hoped that the story that Sullust was now free was really true.


	11. Sullust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not quite as much action, but some fluff in this one.

One of the Sullustans could actually speak some basic, which was great, because that was one of the languages that Ahsoka had some trouble understanding. They both seemed to understand her though, very well, and they found other ways to communicate on the journey. Ahsoka had been able to finally get through to someone connected to General Cracken, not Cracken himself, but a lieutenant, and without having to get into any details, was able to find as least some information on the fact that Sullust had truly been freed for the most part by Rebel Alliance troops, and was currently being policed by said troops. The coordinates to a frigate in the Sullustan space was given to Ahsoka, and she proceeded to make her way there to get caught up with the Alliance and their current state of affairs, as well as proceeding on to her little side trip as a go between with the Bonteri's and the Alliance. She explained about the passengers and the need to eventually dock on planet, but she knew it would be important to not only catch up on the recent events, but also the fact that Sullustan space right now was being heavily scrutinized in regard to those events. She didn't understand why they didn't just use Minra or Inkeema as a introduction to whatever the Bonteri's needed, but Cilburna explained that in the past, relations between the two groups were not that great, and that often the two groups were at war with one another, even though in the end, they did have the same goals. She felt that Minra and Inkeema's family connection as well would be more against them, then for them in the end, but that someone like Ahsoka might bear more weight. They had heard the call for more help sent to the smaller systems and rebel groups, and wished to aid as much as possible, and on good terms. This also included a few stipulations regarding the possible “new government” if that were to come to pass. The Bonteri's found it important to maintain their own freedom and position in the possible eventuality, with the Rebel Alliance now seemingly having the upper hand if the Emperor himself is successfully disposed. She was given a location for the meeting on planet, and planned to proceed with that after she went through the process with her return to the Alliance outside of Sullust.

Ahsoka was still slightly doubtful that this new peace would still happen, knowing for many decades how powerful the Emperor truly was and how much terror he had inflicted on the galaxy. She tried to reach out into the Force, but it came up as an uncertainty. It still seemed unbelievable that it actually could be possible that finally, the Rebel Alliance would actually win. The defeat of the Empire at Sullust, was just really small potatoes in the vastness of the galaxy, so there had to be much more to this to make others think that this actually could be possible. 

The Sullustans on board were more than annoyed that their ship had been taken on Florrum, but Cilburna assured them that Suprine would provide them with a replacement in the event that they could not get their ship returned, as it was probable that the Empire itself had already impounded it upon their capture. Many spacers considered their ships their homes, and this one had been theirs. Having seen some of the fleet that Cilburna had on New Raxus gave them some reassurance though that they may be compensated with something much more improved than the ship they had been using. Ahsoka herself knew how attached and how much a ship can be home and a part of your life, that she was able to give them some sympathy in that regard. They did seem joyful, however, that they may return to a home planet that was lifted from the misery of the abuses of the Empire and had hoped to have a reunion with old friends and family. 

When she arrived at the Alliance convoy, there seemed to be ships everywhere. As soon as she got into space, she was “greeted” by X-wings interrogating her and she was worried she wouldn't get by them without a confrontation. Once she gave the codes, they immediately recognized her as friendly, and she was directed to a ship to land. It wasn't the frigate that Cracken previously told her her to land, but another one entirely. The hanger was filled with a lot of rebellion staff, none of whom knew her, and after giving the names of a few contacts, she was directed by a maintenance worker, who nodded, put some information into a datapad then was directed to the medical bay. Ahsoka told the Sullustans to stay with the ship for now, and followed the young woman.

“I hope you don't think I'm crazy? I swear, I'm working for General Cracken. He gave me coordinates for another frigate. I'm really confused right now, well, not confused enough to need treatment, but..” Ahsoka tried to explain.

The woman laughed, “Oh no, it's just things are a little busy right now. You were just redirected here to this ship is all. We will get you where you need to go. High command is all over the place right now. Everyone is all over the place. Just look out in space! And more ships are coming.”

“I don't think I need any checking out in the medical bay. Is that what Cracken said?” Ahsoka asked.

“Oh, I don't know what Cracken said. I only have the message to send you to the medical bay. Don't ask me why.” 

They got to a desk, and the mechanic told the medical droid that it was Commander Ahsoka Tano and that she was to be expected. The droid clicked into the system computer and another smaller droid directed Ahsoka to follow it. They went through the hall to a patient's room, where a human man was arguing with a droid who was trying to replace the IV into his arm. 

“This is your destination.” The droid responded, leaving Ahsoka alone with the angry human and the medical droid. 

“Look, you evil metallic scrap pile! I'm fine! I don't need anymore of your precious fluids. Try to put that thing in my arm again, and I'll tear yours off.” The man said as he flung a glass, which landed close to Ahsoka. “Who the hell are you?” He said looking at her directly.

“I think I'm in the wrong place,” she answered. 

“No, stay a minute,” he pleaded. “Help me convince this bucket of gears I don't need ….”, as the droid shot a large hypodermic needle in his neck, forcing him to drift off into a deep sleep. The droid then proceeded to return the IV back into the patient's arm. 

The droid got a message beeped into it's circuitry. “Commander Tano, if you will, please take a seat. Someone will be with you shortly.”

Ahsoka, confused, but relieved the medical droid at least knew who she was, just curled up in a chair and tried to rest. She nodded off a bit before she was prodded awake by a large furry hand and a growl.

“Chewbacca? I was beginning to wonder if I was forgotten.” Ahsoka wiped her mouth a bit, and brushed the sleep out her eyes, trying to remember where she was and remembered it was a patient's room in a ship's medical facility. 

The patient was laying still, snoring, with the IV still in his arm. Chewbacca roared and told her that Leia had sent him and told Ahsoka to follow him to another part of the ship a short distance away. He knocked on a door, there was no answer, he then keyed in some codes and told her to wait there, and that he had to leave. It was a simple, small room with a bed and a desk. Chewbacca roared. He told her that it was where Leia was staying and that she would be back to tell her what she needed to know as soon as she returned. 

“I guess this means that you were able to rescue your friend? Is Luke OK?” Ahsoka asked.

Chewbacca roared an affirmative, and patted her on the shoulder, and then walked back in the direction from which they came. More waiting, she thought, at least she got to see a familiar face, and would at least have somewhere to lay down instead of being cramped up into a chair. 

Ahsoka had no trouble drifting back to sleep. In her rest, she had a dream. She was falling deep in a dark and damp jungle, and then landed on the soft ground. It was very much like Dagobah. She walked along the swampy paths with lights traveling with her. They flickered all around as if they were guiding her. In the distance, she saw two figures standing together as shadows. She found herself running towards them, as if her feet had a mind of their own, running as they got bigger and bigger then realizing that standing there were Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi smiling at her. “Masters?” 

Yoda seemed less feeble than the last time she had seen him, when she had visited him on Dagobah. Obi-Wan was less like a ghost. It was if she were talking to them and they were both flesh. Yoda seeming a bit more able bodied, though still very much like the Yoda she knew, but they were floating slightly above the ground. She felt a ripple in the Force and felt it all strange. “Are you both really here?” She asked and with that she woke up startled. 

Leia was standing over the desk with her back towards her. She turned around after hearing Ahsoka gasp. “I'm sorry if I woke you. You seemed as if you were sleeping so soundly and I didn't want to disturb you.”

“It's OK, really. How long have I been here? I really need to talk with you. I have to use the 'fresher first though.”

Ahsoka made her way into the 'fresher and took care of nature's call. She poured some water on her face and looked into the mirror. Her own reflection was staring back at her, but at the same time, she felt a presence, as if someone was looking over her shoulder. She looked up and nothing was there. It was really strange, much like her dream. She went back into the room and sat on the bed. Leia pulled up a chair and started to speak.

“I'm sorry. Admiral Ackbar was supposed to meet you when your ship came in. He had to leave suddenly, and I couldn't meet with you right away, so I had you sent to the medical bay. That had to be confusing. You were supposed to wait in the lobby there for Chewie. They told me what happened. That was Han's room. He's fine, but being in carbonite for six months, it does a few things to the body. They have had to keep sedating him because he is so stubborn. Anyway, Admiral Ackbar wants to see you before you go to Sullust, I understand you have business there?”

“Yes, I'm meeting someone there who wants to have a meeting with high command, about ships for use by the rebellion. I haven't been brought up to date, but I understand that there has been a call for them to converge for something that sounds like it's major,” Ahsoka explained. 

“Yes, I'm only getting back to speed myself, though I was aware of some of it prior to my leaving for Tatooine. Admiral Ackbar will tell you what you need to know, and you can tell him. I wonder why they need to meet with high command though? Why not just show up?”

Ahsoka explained, “They seemed to need some assurances of some kind. I'm not really clear on all of it, but apparently there is some bad blood there.”

“I imagine this is related to Suprine's group? Or something of that nature. Well, I'm sure that Admiral Ackbar can help you. I can only tell you that something major is up, and we do need all the ships we can get.”

“Yes, I'm supposed to meet someone on Sullust. Do you know Cilburna Bonteri? She said she had met with you before, about support for the rebellion. She is the one that set this up,” Ahsoka asked.

“Cilburna Bonzi. Her daughter is agent Minra Bonteri. Yes, I know her. I've met with her at a few delegations. I know they support the more radical groups, but I've been able to persuade her to aid us from time to time. They are quite wealthy, and yes,” Leia laughed, “There has been some bad blood among some of the high command between them. As you might remember, it was difficult to get Suprine's group to work with us, and Minra was one of ours. I can see why not using Minra as a go between, it might make Minra look bad. Especially if they are looking for some reassurances. I didn't realize you got into their good graces.” 

“Lux Bonteri and I go way back, I knew him when I was very young. Look, I hate to bring this up, but I have some Sullustans waiting on my ship, so I should go and check on them at some point. Before I leave though, I do need to know, how did your rescue go? When I left Tattooine, the rumor was that Jabba the Hutt had been killed.” 

Leia gulped thinking about the whole ordeal for a moment, then said, “Yes, he's dead, and I killed him. It needed to be done. I would rather not talk about it, but we all did make it out, that's what is important. I nearly gave Mon Mothma a heart attack when she was debriefed, and I may have left out a few of the details. Probably would have put her in shock if she knew the whole story.”

“Where's Luke?” Ahsoka asked. 

“He had to take care of some personal business, but he said he would be back with us when he could. He's fine. Is there anything you need while you are docked here? I can walk back with you, and make sure your passengers get anything they need while you are waiting for Admiral Ackbar. Sorry General Cracken isn't here to meet you, but the whole of high command should be here soon. I want to check on Han and Chewie for a minute, if that's all right with you. I'll take your passengers to get something to eat and have something brought to you while you wait for Admiral Ackbar if you like.” 

They headed into the medical bay to Han's room and Chewbacca was standing over the bed roaring aggressively at his friend, who was sitting up, and saying, “OK, OK.”

“Chewie, is he giving you a hard time again?” Leia said with a smirk. 

Chewie put his hands on his hips and roared. Leia walked up to the man and kissed his forehead and said, “It has to be up to 97, then you can get out. Look, it's already 80, it won't be long. Chewie, make sure he stays here.”

Chewbacca roared. 

“Leia, I feel fine.”

“Well, you aren't fine, not just yet. I'll be back. You better still be here, and don't get Lando to sneak in any whiskey either. Chewie, make sure he doesn't. Don't bring him any clothes until he's at 97, do you hear me! Though that didn't stop you before, you scared half the ward running down the hall this morning.” Leia scolded.

“Look here, sweetheart, I feel fine. I can leave here anytime I want to. I would feel a lot better back on my own ship. Chewie, I can't believe you either. You've seen me in worse shape.” 

Chewie roared in a scolding tone. Leia stomped her foot and grunted in frustration. “You aren't getting out until you are at 97! Do you hear me!” 

“Who is this?” Han asked pointing to Ahsoka.

“I'm Ahsoka, I believe we sort of met earlier, you threw a glass in my direction?”

“Oh yeah, sorry 'bout that. Say, can you bring me some clothes?”

“Han!” Leia yelled.

“Well, it was worth a try anyway,” Han said sheepishly.

“Look, you are at 85 already, it won't be long now, just stay put!” She sighed then said, “You're impossible you know, We need to go, but I wanted to check on you. It won't be long now, just hang in there. Chewie, keep him here. You don't want to stay longer than you have to. You might even be out of here by tonight if you behave yourself.”

“Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you?” Han said with a grin. 

Leia rolled her eyes, patted him on the arm and said, “See you in a bit, OK?”

As they walked out of the room, Leia said to Ahsoka, “Maybe I should have kept him sedated?” Then laughed.

When they got to Ahsoka's ship, Leia took the Sullustans to the Mess Hall for something to eat, and a messenger was waiting at the ship to take Ahsoka to Admiral Ackbar, who was waiting in a conference room on board. 

“Commander Tano, while I know you haven't had a chance to debrief on your last assignment, I must inform you that it has been some time since you have checked in while in the field. Normally, you would have been reprimanded, but I understand it involved the care of an injured agent, and we will deal with that matter at another time.”

“Yes, sir,” Ahsoka answered.

“As you may or may not be aware, we have more pressing matters. I understand that you have been contacted about adding more ships to the fleet for our operation? I'm not sure how your contact found our about our operation, however, we have been actively recruiting various groups to join us, and we could use as many in the fleet as possible for our impending act,” Admiral Ackbar said with a great seriousness.

“Yes, sir. I have been led to believe that the Rebel Alliance's past dealings with the Bonteri's have not been cordial in the past, however, they would like to organize a meeting with you to negotiate terms and add more to your fleet for your impending operations as you called it, I am due to meet someone on Sullust to hopefully arrange a meeting between a representative and high command, sir,” Ahsoka informed him.

“Ah, Bonteri. Yes, that is true, the Bonteri's are known to support terrorist organizations, though we ourselves have been called terrorists by the Empire, but we haven't always seen eye to eye on many matters. Still, we have a common enemy, and I am sure they can sense the magnitude of this operation if it is successful. I will be meeting myself on Sullust, and I may be able to persuade a few other members of high command to meet with their representative. Do you know who you are meeting?”

“Well, I know I will meet with Suprine, however, I don't believe he is the representative. Of course, he wouldn't be,” Ahsoka spoke, “I only know where the meeting is, and to make contact if the meeting is possible.” 

Admiral Ackbar pulled at a whisker and thought for a moment. “I will give you a private communication link, after you make contact, link directly with me, and I will handle everything. You will then return to this ship for further instructions. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir. I will also be giving passage to those Sullustan passengers who arrived with me. I feel it important to disclose that. They had been staying with the ship, and Princess Leia has taken them to the mess hall for something to eat. They had not been cleared, however, they had been prisoners of the Empire when I myself broke free, sir.”

“You were a prisoner of the Empire! Perhaps you do need a debriefing. Well, honestly, I have no time now. General Cracken will be in touch with you. I'm afraid I must return to Home One immediately, and I will hope to hear from you soon on Sullust. When do you plan to leave, Commander?” 

“Soon, I was merely waiting to hear from you, sir,” she replied.

“Very good. Dismissed.”

Ahsoka docked near the city, and said her goodbyes to the Sullustans as they went to find their families. The streets of Pinyumb were patrolled by rebellion soldiers everywhere, however, citizens were happily going about their business as if everything was normal, except for the areas where there were lines for food and medical attention. Her meeting with Suprine was to be in a building in the center of the town near an old cantina, which appeared to be closed. She made contact, and knew that he would be there when she arrived. When she got there, she found out who the representative was going to be. Her old friend Lux Bonteri himself was standing there with a big smile.

“Hello, again, Ahsoka. So, do you think I will get my meeting with your high command?”

“I'm to contact our Admiral with the specifics. He is willing to at least talk with you,” Ahsoka told him. 

“Fantastic. Let's make this happen.”


	12. New Visions

“When I talked to your intelligence general, he couldn't assure me that our demands could be met. Independence is very important to us, though, of course, this could not happen without defeating the Emperor. If they are willing to work me me, I'm willing to work with them.” Lux explained to Ahsoka.

“They told me they would let me have representation within the governs and protections, whatever that means. What makes you think this Torgruta can help you? I mean, I'm allowing them to use my ships, and they seemed happy to use them, but how do we know, they won't just repress us after?” Suprine stated roughly.

“It's TOGRUTA! Not TORGRUTA!” Ahsoka shouted out in frustration at Suprine, and his constant mispronouncing the name of her people did not help matters. This was beginning to remind her of some of the negotiations from the Clone Wars. Lux seemed to still be fighting in the past, and she could understand his point, but couldn't he realize that this would be a whole new government? The only reason she was even here was her past friendship with Lux Bonteri, and her association with members of High Command. Her past friendship seemed to be the only thing that was allowing him to even considering helping the Alliance as well. This was not what she signed up for. “I'm not really the one that can do this for you! I can get you in touch with Admiral Ackbar, and you will have to work this out on your own.”

“Ahsoka, you know I remember the Old Republic and it's faults. I'm only being cautious. I'm sure Senator Mothma remembers them as well. We all have to admit what replaced that was even worse for the galaxy,” Lux said calmly. “We do want to be on the right side of history, I just have a lot of people I feel responsibility towards.” 

As Ahsoka was beginning to send a comm to Admiral Ackbar, a loud noise was heard outside the door of the large storage room. Ahsoka got a sense of something hostile being on the other side and it seemed as if someone was trying to break down the door. The building had been deserted and the meeting was secret, even though High Command was aware that Ahsoka was meeting someone on the planet. This surely couldn't be rebel forces, could it? Suprine and Lux drew their blasters, and Ahsoka grabbed her lightsabers just to be ready. She sensed it was two individuals trying to break into the building. Lux and Suprine took cover behind a box. After some struggle, two individuals in stormtrooper armor, without the helmets, one a woman with short blonde hair, and a very young man with dark skin and a shaved head, battered and dirty looking and a bit on the beat up and rough side, entered drawing weapons. 

Ahsoka stood there still with both shock and aggravation, ready to reach for her lightsabers or blaster if needed. The stormtroopers, or whatever they were, stared at her for a moment and shouted, “Rebel Scum!” and started to fire.

Ahsoka held off the blasts using the Force, as Suprine and Lux returned fire. The stormtroopers found cover behind boxes on the other side, but not after one of the stormtroopers had gotten a blast in the arm. Ahsoka drew her lightsabers, again diverting the blasts and shocking the stormtroopers. The fire from the stormtroopers stopped, they stayed undercover behind the boxes. Suprine and Lux stopped firing to avoid hitting Ahsoka. Ahsoka stepped closer to the hiding spot of the stormtroopers. “What are you! Are you like Vader!”

“No, I'm not like Vader. You know the Empire was defeated here? What were you doing here? Where's the rest of your uniform?” Ahsoka asked, some distant away from the two, but closer than she had been before. 

The warehouse was silent for a moment. “Why should we tell you?”

“Are you representatives of the Empire or not? I mean, I don't often see half dressed stormtroopers,” Ahsoka asked.

“We are stormtroopers. The Empire left us. We are just trying to protect our families from scum like you!”

“You don't even know who I am?” Ahsoka said figuring they were just a lone duo probably displaced from the rebellion takeover of the planet. “Is your family here?”

“We haven't been home. I was raised on Sullust, my family is here, wait a minute, why do you want to know?” The young man told her from behind cover. The young woman was muttering something under her breath as he said it.

“Look, put your blasters down. You aren't going to be able to take back the planet yourself. Why don't we just talk about this?” Ahsoka told them gently. 

“No, you look, all I see is people outside standing in line for food and medical supplies. We were fine before you came here and messed everything up. The Empire paid us, we provided for our families, and we were all right before this happened.”

Ahsoka looked at the two Imperials. She could understand their frustration in the situation. “The Emperor was making slaves of some of the people here, don't tell me you don't know at least one person who disappeared without a trace. Maybe even one of your own. Come on out, surrender, I promise you will be taken care of, and we can even make sure we find out what happened with your families.”

The stormtroopers came out, and Suprine and Lux came out as well, both in a peaceful and careful manner with hands away from blasters. “You can come peaceful with us, if you like, I promise you. The Empire has abandoned you here, and I know it doesn't seem like you will, but I promise you will be treated fairly,” Ahsoka assured them.

Suprine then sneered, “Or I can take you out right now, which is more to my liking.”

Ahsoka shook her head and gave him a look. They were obviously well trained soldiers of the Empire, but young, and it was probably just a job for them, better than working in the mines here on Sullust. She knew enough about the planet that many who lived here resented the citizens who worked for the Empire in such a manner, but assumed the opportunities were too good to dismiss. They weren't native Sullustans, but many humans had lived here for generations and they seemed to be locals. She had to be firm though, she knew they still could not be trusted. Suprine had some binders and they found a rope and tied the hands of one of the stormtroopers behind their backs and used the binders on the other. “We'll take you to the Alliance, I promise if you cooperate you will be treated fairly and with respect and I will make sure your families are located as well. We aren't monsters.” 

Ahsoka commed Admiral Ackbar letting him know the situation, and he told her that he would send instructions for the prisoners, as well as give a location for Lux Bonteri to meet with him. Ahsoka took the prisoners personally to the outpost the admiral had described and were surprised to see similar individuals also being detained there. They weren't locked up in a cell, but just sitting in a room together, all without helmets, some without armor. A lot of locals who had been hired as stormtroopers or other Imperial services, now without a job. Some were being fed, and a few even had visitors outside waiting for them. It was going to be an adjustment for everyone involved, and not just those who had been oppressed here, but by those who were just trying to get by only taking advantage of the opportunity given to them. Lux thanked Ahsoka with all her help, and left with Suprine to the meeting location given by Admiral Ackbar. Ahsoka was given instructions to return to the frigate outside of Sullust air space for further instructions. 

As she was returning to the ship, something nagged at her. She knew something big was about to go down, and she didn't want to abandon the Alliance, but she had the sudden revelation that she needed to go elsewhere. That it was more important. She wasn't sure yet what that was, but the Force was talking to her and swaying her in a different direction. She got to the ship, and Alliance members were frantically supplying ships and collecting various kinds of gear in the hanger. She was almost knocked down as she walked to her quarters. She tried to comm General Cracken, but got the lieutenant assistant, and was told that he would contact her as soon as he could. She went to her quarters and plopped down and tried to relax, but it wasn't long before she was disturbed again by her communicator, “Commander Tano, Cracken here, meet me in conference room G, immediately.”

Barely having had much time to even catch her bearings, she found herself making her way to the conference room. Crowds of personnel were still hurrying back and forth through the corridors and the tension seemed high. She got to the room, where she saw General Cracken, his assistant, and another high ranking officer she didn't know. 

“Commander Tano, have a seat please. This is General Madine, we were just going over a few things before departing for a meeting on Sullust. I'm afraid I don't have much time, but wanted to update you on some new developments. High Command and other personnel are also gathering on planet for the meeting, I would like for you to attend, however, it is not mandatory. I just didn't know when I would have the time to give you the details on another assignment regarding intelligence on the situation on Kuat. Yes, as you can tell, the something big we have been planning has been unfolding. We are gathering as many ships as we can in the space here and the meeting will give details to that effect, however, I'm afraid it's classified as of right now. You did good work, as Bonteri has agreed to the terms and his ships will meet our fleet for the operation.”

“Thank you, Sir, but I really don't feel I did much...” Ahsoka started to say, but General Madine cut her off.

“Admiral Ackbar told me it was like herding tookas getting Bonteri to agree to join us. He informed Ackbar that it was his belief in you that allowed him to first agree to helping in the first place. You have no idea how much that will help, commander,” General Madine commended.

“I may actually get myself into the action this time. I'm not at liberty to say too much, Tano, but it's going to go one way or the other, it will either be the beginning of the end of the Empire, or the end of the Alliance,” General Cracken informed her gravely.

“And this is going to happen at Kuat?” Ahsoka asked.

“Oh no, your assignment will be unrelated to the operation, still, I need to tell you a few things first. It's possible that I may end up not being your superior officer in the future, as I will be lending the duty over to someone else. I will give you the details in the datapad. I'll be going with the others. It's about time that I got my hands directly in the fight again. The datapad will have all the information you need, your contact on Kuat, any personnel you would need to respond to, as well as any other information you need,” Cracken said handing the datapad over to her.

“Actually, sir, is there someone already out in the field you could pass this on to? I didn't want to abandon you during your time of need, however, since it's not part of the operation at hand, I need to take leave. I just hoped it wasn't a bad time to bring this up. It's something I really need to do. Does this ultimately require my own personal expertise?” Ahsoka asked with a bit of guilt.

“Well, Tano, I understand, and I do have some already in the core who could take this assignment, that is if you really feel you need to do this? We could always use someone like you. I suppose I understand that you have something personal to attend to. I'm disappointed and it might have some bearing on your commission, but if you feel you must...”

“I do. General Cracken, it's been a pleasure,” she took his hand, “but I feel my destiny is leading me elsewhere. We may meet again. I hope you have had some help to the Alliance in my return, and I wish you well with your operation. Who knows, I may even return yet again,” Ahsoka shrugged and smiled.

“Well, I guess this is it then, at least for now. You may take the ship if you like, it's yours. Make sure you clear out soon though, the entire fleet will be departing in short time. Dismissed,” Cracken said with a salute and Ahsoka saluted back.

Ahsoka left the conference room, and nodded to Captain Solo who was sitting outside. “You look to be in better shape than when I first met you, still throwing drinking glasses?”she said with a laugh. He just smiled and shrugged before he was called into the conference room she just left. 

Back in her room, there wasn't much to pack. She hadn't kept much there and she really hadn't been there that long. It was generous of General Cracken to allow her to keep her ship, but she imagined that it wasn't that much of a loss to the Alliance, it being so unpredictable before she herself had made it her own. Cracken hadn't seemed to be too distressed at her wanting to take a leave of duty, so there was that off her mind, however, she still wasn't exactly sure where her thoughts were guiding her to go. She felt strongly though, and knew that it could have only been the Force telling her that she was to be elsewhere. As she made her way back to her ship with her meager belongings, she sensed a vision of a forest with celebrations and happy feelings. At least it was something that wasn't a dark cloud, and imagined it was the future for these stressed individuals busy in the halls preparing for what was to come. At least she hoped that was what it was. She also had a good feeling what she was doing was right. She felt something deep in the Force as well, as if something was missing with sudden urgency, deep within her own chest. 

Near her ship, she saw Princess Leia going over a few things with some of the troops in the hanger. She would get the chance to at least say goodbye to her. After waiting for Leia to finish with instructions to a young pilot, she was able to get her attention.

“I know you must be busy, Leia, but I've come to say goodbye. I won't be needed for the impending operation, whatever it may be, so I have decided to take leave. I hope you understand,” Ahsoka said with sadness.

Leia smiled sadly, “Just like Luke. We'll miss you, Ahsoka.”

“Oh, Luke hasn't come back yet?”

“No, though I hope to expect him back anytime. I just hope it's before we leave. He knows how to find us though. We could really use him.” Leia bit her bottom lip. “Chewie is just over there, let me call him over. I'm sure he would like to see you before you head out,” Leia then spoke into the communicator and within minutes, Ahsoka could see the furry guy come bounding down the hanger in the distance.

Chewbacca roared and hugged Ahsoka. “It was good to see you again. You take care of yourself, all right?” Ahsoka spoke into his fur as Chewie roared back. 

Ahsoka gave Leia a long look. She never knew if she would ever see them again, and she couldn't tell her anything she knew. She liked getting to know Leia and Luke during her time reuniting with the Alliance, and the knowledge of who they really were it was if they were long lost family to Ahsoka as well. She just gave Leia a big unexpected hug, and Leia was a bit confused, but could never understand what exactly Ahsoka meant by it. “You tell Luke I said goodbye, OK? I'm sorry I couldn't see him before I left.” 

“I will, it was good to meet you, Ahsoka Tano.” Leia said as Chewbacca roared, but it wasn't long before Leia was brought back to duty by others working in the hanger. 

Ahsoka boarded her ship, not knowing exactly where she was headed, but thought that going to Dagobah again may give her some answers. She got a powerful feeling while she was there, and she could check in on Master Yoda as well. She would need some provisions prior to heading there, after all she didn't know how long she would be able to stay on what she currently had on the ship. While in hyperspace, she meditated, and she had the vision again of the lights flying around her. She didn't know where she was, but it was complete darkness, a vast void of anything, as if floating in space, with the only light being the small orbs floating around her. She smiled, and they danced around her. The alarms went off indicating her destination, and she landed at a small outpost that was a good place to stop for refueling and supplies, and to dock the ship. It took most of her credits just to dock, so she looked for a few things around the ship that she could use to trade, and unfortunately, it wasn't much, but she figured she wouldn't need a lot. She could sleep on the ship, and not pay room fees which would help. It sometimes got rough staying at the docking bay, but she could handle herself quite well. 

She got out and went to a cantina for something to eat and to listen for any news of what was happening with the galaxy, especially anything involving the Alliance. The holonet was always propaganda, but from the gossip she got it seems that word had gotten out that the Emperor had built another Death Star battle station, and that the Alliance had found it. She was unsure from the holos who was winning, and the rumors were rampant as to whatever side was, but it sounded like it was near a moon of Endor, and that the Emperor may or may not have been there as well. She went back to her ship to get some rest and to wait for the delivery of her supplies. 

She woke up to the noise of a Duros man with a crate containing the items she was expecting. It was just some food and other essentials. As he was bring her crate up onto her loading ramp, he asked her, “Did you hear that the Emperor is dead? I'm not sure it's true, the holonet isn't saying it, but look at this holo!”

She picked it up and touched it in her hand and it flickered. It was Admiral Ackbar sending a message that the Alliance was successful and that Luke Skywalker himself confirmed that both the Emperor and Darth Vader were now dead. It was clear, the rebellion was not over, but the beginning of the end of the Empire's fall had begun. Ahsoka smiled. “They did it!” 

The Duros smiled and played it again, “I've watched it 10 times already. It's incredible isn't it?” 

It sure is, Ahsoka thought. 

Ahsoka went back into the cantina one more time before leaving for Dagobah. She wasn't sure what she would find there, but she knew she wouldn't be able to keep up with any galaxy news on Dagobah, so perhaps she might pick up a few more trinkets of news before she headed out. She could see someone with a small holo of Princess Leia making the rounds and that too gave her comfort knowing she too had made it as well. The holonet itself on a screen in the room was playing a smashball game, but a ticker on the bottom was showing conflicting information to the holos that were being passed around the cantina. You could never truly trust the holonets, but Ahsoka knew you could trust Ackbar and the Princess. She got something hot to eat, and walked out, ready to head on to the next part of her journey. 

It was some time before Ahsoka actually got to Dagobah, but once she got there, she knew that Yoda was gone. She imagined that it must have been while she was in the process of leaving the frigate, when she got that strange sensation in her chest. She found his home small but welcoming, and unpacked some of her things from her ship and made herself at home. 

After what she concluded was probably a cycle, or a day, on planet, she went for a walk and took a deep breath trying to feel all the life on the planet. There were many small lifeforms and a powerful energy was here. She found a waterfall in the swamp that was quite beautiful and cool and sat next to it, allowing the sound of the water drift her off into a deep meditation. Again, she saw the lights dancing around her in the vast darkness like she had before. However, this time, when she came out of it, the lights were still there! She was no longer in meditation, or asleep, but fully awake. The lights danced around her bidding her to follow and follow she did. She came to a hollow in the ground surrounded by trees with a log bidding her to sit, and the lights disappeared as she sat down. She looked around relaxing and just trying to feel the Force around her. There were the noises of nature all around her and the sounds of things in the swamp, and in the background were some twigs snapping. She turned around and saw a familiar sight. She gasped. It couldn't be. Tears were running down her cheeks. She had to be dreaming. She didn't know how to feel and tried to feel out into the Force for the answer, until he spoke. 

“Hey, Snips, are you losing focus?” he said, looking every bit the same as he did the last time she saw him, that is as himself, so many years ago. Her old master, Anakin Skywalker. 

“This can't be happening! How is this happening!! You? How?” She asked looking at him as if he was just a mirage in the swamp, he wasn't flesh and bone, but he wasn't exactly a holo or a ghost either. 

“I knew you'd get here, Snips. I don't know exactly how got to this point myself, but Luke, well, he saved me. You and I have a lot to talk about.” and he sat right next to her on the log.

“Is it really you, Skyguy?” 

He laughed, and smiled. They looked at each other a moment, smiled and talked for a very long time. In the distance, the spirits of two Jedi masters looked on with peaceful smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka Lives!


End file.
